Early Pick Pomelo Assam

Notes of pomelo, honey, and brown sugar.

Red tea from Taiwan・April 2017・柚子香阿薩姆・Organic

This is an early April harvest of a Taiwanese grown Assam red. Its name comes from the natural pomelo citrus flower scent innate to this particular grove of tea trees, producing notes of grapefruit, honey, and brown sugar.

This tea comes from a 600m organic garden in Yuchi Township in Nantou. The garden is small by any standard, with only a handful of Assam bushes. Each year, only about 60 catties of this tea are produced. We purchased 30 catties for the 2017 collection.

Pomelo Assam differs from the typical Assam red from Taiwan. Most Assam reds are picked in late spring to mid-summer. Tea makers look for warmer weather and mature leaves to produce robust teas with complexity. In this regard, Pomelo Assam is unusual. This tea was picked in early April when the leaves are still tender. The finished tea is finer and more delicate than typical reds from this region, showcasing the unique citrus scent and sweetness that is this tea’s namesake.

The leaves brew a tea that is deep orange with a tinge of red. The flavor is sweet, and the texture is round without astringency.

Brew: 5 grams・150 ml・200° F・1.5 min

This is remarkably easy to brew for an Assam. We’ve dialed down the temperature to 200F to better highlight the tea’s sweetness and aroma.