How to create your own Mocktails?

 

 

 

 

Five Senses Immersion (五感沈浸體驗）

 

Five Senses Immersion (五感沈浸體驗）transforms a simple beverage into a multi-dimensional journey, allowing the participant to "disappear" into the cup and find a moment of absolute peace.

The Art of Five Senses Immersion:

Taiwan Oolong Edition

1. Visual — The Aesthetics of Form

• The Scene:

You observe the dried Oolong leaves— appearance, shape and color.

• The Transformation: As hot water hits the leaves, you watch the "dance of the leaf" as they unfurl. The liquor transitions from a pale primrose to a shimmering golden amber, signaling its oxidation level and richness.

2. Auditory — The Rhythm of Stillness

• The Soundscape: Immersion requires a "sonic barrier." You listen to the rhythmic pour of water, the delicate clink of porcelain, and perhaps the subtle ambient sounds of a mountain stream.

• The Focus: These sounds anchor your attention to the present moment, filtering out the white noise of urban life.

3. Olfactory — The Gateway to Memory

• The Aroma: Oolong is famous for its "changing fragrance." First, you smell the dry warmed leaves (floral or nutty). Then, the aroma cup captures the Rhyme - notes of orchid, honey, or creamy milk.

• The Impact: Because the olfactory bulb is directly linked to the brain's emotional center, these scents can instantly trigger feelings of nostalgia or tranquility.

4. Gustatory — The Core Experience

• The Palate: This is the climax. You feel the "body" of the tea—is it light and crisp, or heavy and roasted?

• The Finish: The magic of Oolong lies in the returning sweetness at the finish. The taste evolves from a slight astringency to a lingering sweetness at the back of the throat, physical confirmation of the tea's quality

5. Tactile — The Texture of Reality

• The Tangibility: You feel the warmth of the tea cup radiating through your palms. You notice the texture of the tea ware — the smoothness of porcelain or the earthy grit of pottery.

• The Mouthfeel: On the tongue, the tea feels "velvety" or "thick." Even the temperature and humidity of the room contribute to how your body physically "receives" the tea.

 

 

Resilience (靱性）

Resilience (靱性)

I am attempting to reexamine this observation from Da Vinci's perspective.

The Taiwan tea industry exemplifies economic resilience, having successfully navigated global market fluctuations and industrialization over the past 150 years by continually reinventing itself. By leveraging its unique terroir and exceptional craftsmanship, Taiwan has transformed a simple agricultural product into a world-class cultural icon.

The Historical Timeline

The development of the industry can be divided into three distinct eras to illustrate its evolution.

Phase 1: The Export Era (19th Century – 1970s)

Initially, Taiwan was a major global supplier of Oolong and Black tea.

• Key Concept: Mass production for international markets.

• Description: "The industry commenced in the mid-1800s when British traders recognized Taiwan's ideal climate. For over a century, tea was a primary commodity export, fueling the island's early economic growth."

Phase 2: The Shift to Domestic Quality (1980s – 2000s)

As labor costs rose and Taiwan industrialized, it could no longer compete on price.

• Key Concept: Transitioning from quantity to quality.

• Description: "Facing global competition, the industry underwent a structural transformation. Farmers shifted their focus toward the domestic market and high-mountain Oolongs, prioritizing specialty tea over mass-produced exports."

Phase 3: The Modern Era (Present Day)

Today, Taiwan tea is a global brand synonymous with luxury and precision.

• Key Concept: Branding, science, and sustainability.

• Description: "Modern Taiwan tea combines traditional craftsmanship with agricultural technology. The industry now emphasizes traceability, organic practices, and a refined 'Tea Culture' that treats tea-making as a high art form."

 

TOST ( Taiwan Oolongs Study Tour ) 2025

 

TOST 2025

Day 1

10/19/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/wBQItMmc

Day 2

10/20/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/wPxETDmK

Day 3

10/21/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/qITNWoC9

Day 4

10/22/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/6YPOE2fS

Day 5

10/23/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/oO490FOr

Day 6

10/24/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/fxNxVzZR

Day7

10/25/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/gRbuaO2U

Day8

10/26/2025

https://www.iiforever.com/photo/share/30ZAbPFp

#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.

***********

Vintage Pouchong (Year:1979)

 

2024TOST Alishan Milk Oolong

This limited edition, 2024TOST Alishan Milk Oolong, 

Jin Suang cultivar, Wang Ding Garden. 

The leaves plucked and processed on 10/18/2024.  Our TOST members have hands on doing Solar Withering, Indoor Withering, Tossing and Fluffing, Observing the Oxidation and Fixation, Primary Rolling and Drying...to experience the whole process... under the guidance of Master Wang and Steve Huang. We came back to the factory the second morning, to see how the Canvas Wrapped Rolling. Master Wang has helped us to do a light-fire baking before he packed.  

(We, including Master Steve Huang and Hung-Cheng Wang, all enjoy sipping this batch.)

 

Formosa Bonita: Peach Oolong (Celebrate TAC-WC 2024)

Formosa Bonita: Peach Oolong 

Dedicated to all participants of  "TAC-WC 2024" Conference.

Formosa Bonita (蓬萊佳人) serendipitously been introduced after Taiwan’s 921 Big Quake in 1999. Many tea farmers in mid-Taiwan lost their tea gardens after the disaster. Two TBRS (*Taiwan Tea and Beverage Research Station) scientists, 邱瑞騰, 黃正宗 thought of those old bushes Assam tea plants that cultivated during Japanese occupation in Taiwan. They then helped farmers to uncover those tea bushes (mostly under the beetle nuts trees), and taught them how to make Black tea with Assam leaves. 

Some farmers were either very naughty(?) or being so used to their Oolong process, anyway... They did modify the Black tea’s traditional process with Oolong skill. Unexpectedly, a new tea was created! 

An extra-highly oxidized Oolong with ripe fruity aroma and flavor, a bit like the rare Oriental Beauty. This new Oolong (*Many farmers and consumers in Taiwan still think it is a Black Tea!! they nick name it: Honey Black.) gains its popularity in very short time. Even more magically, with this new process, each tea cultivar’s characteristic aroma and flavor could be presented and easily to be identified. (*Sounds like Napa Wine with its Grape varietal...)

This one, we select Jin Suang (金萱) cultivar, and enhance with Peach (水蜜桃）essence. You can enjoy hot or serve chilled. Infusion tips: 3g of tea, 150 ml rolling boiled water, steeped for 3 minutes to serve. 

The theme for this TAC-WC 2024 Conference is:  "Invest in TA, Elevate Taiwan & America" 

Hoping this tea and its story could keep you an inspirational and sweet memory of the conference.

By the way, if you would like to learn more about Taiwan Oolong, simply book a free "Private Group Cupping and Tasting" @ JT & Tea Cupping Studio... (*Details could be seen in this link.)

Private Group Cupping and Tasting @ JT & Tea Cupping Studio

 

JT & Tea Cupping Studio is taking your booking for a unique experience -

Follow the tea path, enter the tea realm. 

The tea is beautiful, with excellent form and color.

The tea is pure, with a clean and authentic aroma.

The tea holds good substance, with a lasting sweet finish.

The tea is calming, bringing clarity and peace of mind.

 

 “Private Group Cupping and Tasting”-

*6 per Group

*75 minutes per session

Thursday-Saturday 10-4, 

Free and by Reservation Only. (*Please private message for booking.)

 

*High Dynamic Range in Tea Experience- based on your interest.

1) Fun Personal Tea Tasting (further more, a demo of Personal Tea Party)

2) In-depth Cupping & Tasting to unlock Oolong Sense

3) Professional Applications with your profound tea knowledge

4) Tea and Life, the Aesthetics and Balance

 

台灣烏龍 品味喜悅       識茶三部 試茶六則

 

適茶應性 侍茶靈活       拿放浮沈 甘苦滿空

 

 

Remember:

*Cupping is to break down each tea's FACT ( Flavor, Aroma, Color, Texture ).

*Tasting is to bring up the FACT with its best !