Formosa Oolong

Formosa Oolong is one of Taiwan's classic dark oolongs, oxidized to about 75%, which is why it runs deeper and darker than most oolongs you'll meet. The style traces back to the mid-nineteenth century, when a British merchant named John Dodd helped develop Taiwan's oolong trade and put the island's tea on the map abroad. For decades afterward it was a fixture in American cupboards, prized for its heartier, roasted character. That heritage still shows in the cup: medium-bodied and quietly complex, an oolong that rewards a full four- to five-minute steep. It makes an easygoing all-day pour for anyone who leans toward the toastier end of the oolong range.