#2025TOST

9.3.2025 Wednesday morning 

Finalizing #2025TOST programs with learning outcomes of each visit place.

What to expect from this year “Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour”?

We started this field trip study tour in year 2008. It is part of my missions as ‘Ambassador of Taiwan Tea’.  

Originally, this program is designed for APTI and later merged with STI for the ‘Oolong Class level 5’ to lead a hands on study tour on the fields at the origins.  This year is going to be our 18th TOST trip.

We still pack a two nights three days locked in Alishan to do a full round of Jade Oolong Making. A small pilot batch specifically designed for our members before farmer’s Winter Crop. We will have all members to get hands on experience from the fresh plucked leaf in garden, solar withering, indoor withering, fluffing and tossing, tumbling and oxidation, fixation, primary rolling, drying, wrapped rolling, baking…園菁曬搖炒揉焙. Following the leaf’s transformation and appreciate the changes in Aroma and Flavor. (Science and Craftsmanship could balance well in your learning process.) No one could skip any step and must stay with our leaves the whole time. (*otherwise, you just don’t get your certificate.)

During the long processing and waiting hours, we will have quite a few cuppings and tastings, plus different tea topics of discussions, such as Cultivars, Oxidation Levels Management, Rolling Skills, Baking Techniques…

Every year, we visit various Taiwan’s official tea researches and extension centers.  This year, we will focus on Wenshan Branch and Yuchi Branch. We are honored to have two tea scientists to teach us 1) How Taiwan Pouchong is so unique and charming.  2) How to do comparison studies on Taiwan Black with Ceylon, Keemun, Yunnan, Darjeeling.  3) Why Formosa Bonita carries Cultivar’s strong characteristics and with Honey touch?

We arrange to visit the booming and world leading Boba/ Bubble Tea Institute (*Pei-Chen / High Tea ) to get inspired with their visions and applications on tea and beverages products development and creative serving menus.

We will select a few outstanding tea rooms and tea shops to visit and study. The owners are willing to share their concepts of store design, customer service, and products development… for our members.

Since year 2012, every TOST has the privilege to vist IMEI Foods for our Food Industry ESG study… Food Lab tour, modern production environments, advanced warehouse management…

We will walk along old Taipei tea district ( Da Dao Cheng), also have many Oolong tea museums in our list, including the best and modern Oriental Beauty Museum. Plus a few old tea factories to compare modern digital tea plants. 

Yes, we still want every member to enjoy the one and only Lishan Oolong Cupping & Tasting Excellence @ HGT headquarter.

We don’t forget to include a Tea Cuisine dinner for a tea group. Every course is prepared with tea or tea leaf as main ingredient… 

2025 TOST will kickstart at the exhibition of “19 Anecdotes on Tea” @ Academia Historica. And our Certificate Ceremony will take place at a cozy tea boutique owned by the historical Formosa Black Tea Company. (*We are part of the Taiwan Oolong history…)

Bonus: 

On 10/21@Yuchi, we got an opportunity to observe farmers tea making contest.

Optional Trip:

One day trip to Hualien tea district. Special study on an Co-Op Modern AI Tea Plantation Management and Digital Oolong Plant. 

Oolong Flight in Da Vinci Style

 Oolong Flight in Da Vinci Style

A man carries the title of ‘Ambassador of Taiwan Tea’.

For years, he has crossed oceans, bringing the leaves of Taiwan to America.

In the halls of business, he has triumphed. But in the hearts of everyday people, a question lingers:

Why has Taiwan Oolong not yet become part of their daily lives?

Seeking answers, he turns to his family, who knows the cinema world - how stories capture attention, how images draw us in and refuse to let us go.

From these conversations, an idea is born.

Not a lecture.

Not a sales pitch.

But a journey - 

a metaverse without VR.

A leap through time and space, where the great Leonardo da Vinci himself is invited to sit down, to encounter Taiwan Oolong.

Man and master, in dialogue. East meets West. The Renaissance meets the tea mountains of Taiwan.

From this vision emerges a performance:

“Oolong Flight in Da Vinci Style.”

The audience enters as if stepping onto a film set.

Each cup of tea is a scene. Aroma becomes atmosphere. Flavor becomes dialogue. And with each sip, curiosity deepens, focus sharpens,

and a new story unfolds.

(In Dallas, at the Taiwan Expo, 8/14-16/2025, seven times this scene was played, and the response was indeed extraordinary.)

Because this was never only about tea.

Traditional presentations fade too quickly. But a story, like a film, holds us until the final frame.

Yes, tea was the beginning. But what it revealed was larger:

A way of seeing.

A spark of scientific curiosity. The search for harmony between nature and craft, between daily life and beauty.

This is the heart of the journey. This is where joy is found.

‘The joy of tasting Taiwan Oolong.’

and

‘The mystery of Mona Lisa’s smile.’

Both born from a meeting of minds, a quiet crossing of hearts.

***********