09/20/2026
What is this? We are gently rolling and bruising the tea leaves. In Taiwan, we got to experience part of the oolong making process completely by hand. The leaves were laid out, divided into bamboo trays, and then gently rolled and bruised. This breaks down the cells and encourages oxidation, such an important part of making oolong. And how much those leaves oxidize has a huge impact on the aroma, flavor, and character of the finished tea. Now imagine doing all of this by hand. This was soo hard! Next, I’ll show you what happens when the machines take over. Yay!