🍵 The Leaf — A refined Taiwanese oolong blended with real orange blossoms, semi-oxidised to sit gracefully between the freshness of green tea and the warmth of black
🍵 The Colour — A clear, luminous amber-gold liquor with a soft citrus aroma that rises from the cup before the first sip
🍵 The Flavour — Gently floral and cleanly sweet, with the smooth stone fruit character of the oolong lifted by a delicate, natural orange blossom fragrance
🍵 The Occasion — Ideal for a calm afternoon pause or an unhurried weekend morning — elegant enough to savour slowly, approachable enough for everyday drinking
Formosa Orange Blossom Oolong is a Taiwanese loose leaf oolong tea of quiet elegance — a floral oolong tea that brings together the smooth, semi-oxidised character of a Formosa oolong with the soft, aromatic lift of real orange blossoms. The result is a cup that is clean, luminous and gently fragrant, with a natural sweetness and a finish that lingers without overpowering.
The name Formosa comes from the Portuguese for 'beautiful island' — the name given to Taiwan by Portuguese sailors in the sixteenth century — and it remains a fitting description for the teas produced there. Oolong has been cultivated in Taiwan for over two centuries, with commercial export under the Formosa name beginning in the 1860s when British merchant John Dodd first introduced Taiwanese oolong to world markets. Taiwan's mountainous terrain, humid climate, and significant temperature variation between day and night create ideal conditions for tea growing — slowing the development of the leaf and concentrating its natural sweetness and complexity.
This particular tea uses a semi-oxidised oolong as its foundation, oxidised to the point where it bridges green and black tea without committing to either. The long, slightly curled leaves produce a golden amber infusion with a soft peachy character that is natural to quality Formosa oolong. The orange blossoms are added after processing, their delicate citrus-floral fragrance working with the oolong's inherent sweetness rather than sitting on top of it. There is no sharpness here — only a composed, rounded cup with genuine depth and a gently invigorating quality.
Since 2008, High Teas London has been one of the country's leading independent tea specialists, building a collection of over 350 teas and infusions sourced from the world's finest gardens. Finding teas of this character — those that reward attention and improve with every cup — is what this collection has always been about.
Ingredients: Oolong tea, orange blossoms.
Brewing Note: For the best results, use water that has just come off the boil and been allowed to cool for two to three minutes — around 85 to 90°C is ideal. Boiling water can flatten the more delicate floral notes, so a little patience here is well rewarded. Use one heaped teaspoon per cup and steep for two to three minutes, tasting as you go. The leaves will comfortably give a second infusion, which tends to be slightly lighter and more honey-like in character. This tea is also well suited to cold brewing — place the leaves in a jug of cold water and leave overnight in the fridge for a clean, refreshing iced version with beautiful clarity.
