Lalashan Oolong tea is hailed as the rising star of the tea industry. With 3 to 4 harvests a year, it is considered the newest tea-producing region in Taiwan.
The early tea gardens in Fuxing Township were mostly concentrated on the terraced areas of Meihua Cluster. Former President Chiang Ching-kuo even named it "Meitai Tea." The Lalashan tea region is characterized by an altitude, slope, temperature, humidity, and geology that are suitable for tea cultivation. Located at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,800 meters in Taoyuan County, Lalashan boasts a high latitude and cool climate, with an average annual temperature of 16-18 degrees Celsius, 90% humidity, and a diurnal temperature range exceeding 10 degrees. The forest ecosystem remains intact, and the soil is gravelly with excellent drainage, making it ideal for growing high-quality tea. Therefore, it is ranked alongside Lishan as a high-quality emerging tea region in Taiwan.
With rich natural ecology, Lalashan is located at the intersection of Fuxing Township in Taoyuan County and Yilan County, Hsinchu County, and New Taipei City. In the Atayal language, Lalashan means "beautiful." In August 1975, it was renamed "Daguan Mountain." Due to its having the largest area of Taiwan red cypress forest in Taiwan, the government established the "Daguan Mountain Nature Reserve" in 1986, which remains to this day.
The Lalashan tea region includes the mid-to-high altitude areas of Balin, Guanghua Tribe, Xinxing Tribe, and Sanguang Village. The main tea tree cultivated is Qingxin Oolong, all of which are hand-picked. Currently, the total planting area is about 40 hectares, with an annual output of about 40,000 catties, mostly semi-spherical oolong tea. After diligent cultivation, hand-picking, meticulous kneading, gentle rolling, slow drying, and even roasting by tea farmers, the tea produced in Lalashan has a firm and uniform appearance, thick leaves, and rich pectin. The dry tea has a bright color and a shiny, oily luster. After brewing, the tea soup is clear yellow, bright, lively, and vibrant. The water quality is sweet and soft, and the special floral and fruity aromas are persistent without being overwhelming, with a strong and lasting aftertaste. Its quality is comparable to that of Lishan tea.
The tea leaves are thick and noticeably shiny. Lalashan Oolong tea has a mellow and sweet taste, without bitterness. Overall, it has "the taste of Alishan high mountain tea and the quality grade of Lishan tea."
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