Summer in Silk - Dōng Fāng Měi Rén | Oriental Beauty

€13,00

Taxes included.

honey • peach • muscat grapes • wildflowers

Some invitations arrive dressed in gold.

about 10 mugs or 5 gongfu sessions

Oriental Beauty is one of Taiwan's most celebrated teas, created through an unlikely collaboration between tea trees and tiny leafhoppers. Their gentle bite awakens an extraordinary sweetness that no human could create alone.

Elegant yet playful, this is a tea for slow conversations, shared desserts, and evenings that deserve to be remembered.

The ritual (Gongfu Cha):
Bring your fresh water to 85–90°C. Place 5 grams of tea leaves into your small teapot or gaiwan per 100 ml. Pour the water gently, allowing the insects' golden gift to awaken for 20–25 seconds on the first steep. As you pour it out, watch how the flavor evolves, maintaining its deep, nectar-like sweetness for up to 6–7 infusions.

The cozy mug (western style):
For a relaxing evening ritual, place 3 grams of leaves into your favorite mug with 250 ml of 85°C water. Allow the leaves to slowly stretch and steep for 2–3 minutes. This gentler infusion yields a deeply aromatic, smooth, and heartwarming cup.

The aroma: notes of rich honey, sweet peach, and a fragrant bouquet of wildflowers.

The flavor: naturally sweet and intensely fruity, reminiscent of muscat grapes with a rich, dessert-like depth.

The body: smooth, juicy, and rich, coating the palate with a deep, honeyed fruitiness.

The liquor: luminous, crystal-clear amber-gold.

The finish: long and dessert-like, leaving a lingering sweetness of ripe fruit and nectar.

Oriental Beauty sits beautifully between light oolongs and fully oxidized red teas, undergoing a heavy 60–70% oxidation. After the leaves are intentionally "bitten" by the leafhoppers, they are harvested, withered, rolled, and left to deeply interact with the oxygen.

It is this specific, higher level of oxidation - combined with the chemical changes sparked by the insects - that transforms the green, fresh leaves into a complex, amber oolong. This traditional craftsmanship strips away any sharp astringency, leaving behind only the tea's signature, sweet-muscat soul without any true micro-organic fermentation.

Hailing from the Hsinchu and Miaoli regions of Taiwan, this exquisite large-leaf oolong is hand-harvested exclusively in the heat of summer.

Its magic lies in a beautiful partnership with nature. During the summer, tiny green leafhoppers (Jacobiasca formosana) visit the tea fields and gently bite the leaves. Rather than destroying the crop, the plant reacts to the enzymes in the insect's saliva by activating a natural defense mechanism.

This unique biological collaboration alters the leaf's chemistry, unlocking an unparalleled honey-and-muscat sweetness that no human agricultural science could ever recreate alone. Because of this beautiful accident of nature, it is affectionately known to many as "bite tea."

We always recommend sipping all our teas solo to appreciate its pure, unmasked character. But if you wish to pair it with a bite, choose mindfully :)

If you're pairing, try these:
- Fruit desserts featuring ripe peaches, grapes, or pears.
- Honey and nut confections that mirror the tea's natural sweetness.
- Light pastries or airy meringues that complement its elegant body.
- As a standalone liquid dessert at the end of a beautiful dinner.

Golden hour spent with your absolute favorite people. It carries a joyous, celebratory energy that instantly elevates the mood and turns an ordinary night into a special occasion.

Before water. After water.