Buddha’s Hand Oolong Tea (Fo Shou Wulong Cha), 2015

Fo Shou is a traditional aged oolong made from the red-sprout variety of the Fo Shou tea bush, grown at an altitude of around 800 meters in the border region between Yongchun and Dehua Counties, Fujian Province. This variety is known for its large, soft, oily green-yellow leaves and its unique aroma, reminiscent of Buddha’s hand fruit (香橼), which gave the tea its name.

This batch was harvested and processed in 2014 and has undergone natural aging for over ten years. The tea was hand-picked following the standard of one bud with three leaves. It was then processed using the classic strong-shaking Wuyi-style method: sun withering, multiple shaking and resting rounds (totaling 8–16 hours), kill-green by high-temperature pan-firing, repeated rolling, initial and secondary drying, and long low-temperature charcoal baking to stabilize and preserve the leaf.

After aging and baking, the tea appears as tightly curled, semi-ball shaped leaves with a dark, glossy hue. When brewed, it yields an orange-golden liquor with a thick, smooth mouthfeel. The flavor is mellow, sweet, and full-bodied with deep floral-fruity notes, lingering incense-like aroma, and a clean, soft finish.

For brewing, use 7g of tea in a 120ml gaiwan or teapot with boiling water (100°C). Steep the first infusion for 10 seconds, increasing time by 5–10 seconds with each round. Suitable for multiple infusions. For thermos brewing, use 8g in 300–500ml and steep covered for 10+ minutes. For cold brew, steep 5g in water for 1–2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.