Sun Moon Lake T-8 assamica | black tea

Taiwan’s black tea tradition has deep roots in the hills surrounding Sun Moon Lake. During the 1920s, Assam tea plants were introduced to the island, and Yuchi became an important centre for their cultivation. Over the following decades, local growers and tea researchers developed a distinctive Taiwanese expression of these large-leaf tea plants, establishing a tradition that continues today.

This tea is made from TTES No. 8, a cultivar selected in Taiwan from the Indian Jaipuri Assam lineage and officially named in 1973. Known for producing rich, rounded black teas with a gentle malty fragrance, it remains closely associated with the history of Sun Moon Lake tea. Here, its Assam heritage is expressed through a particularly smooth, fruit-forward cup.

The leaves are hand-picked from the Li family’s secluded garden in Yuchi Township, at approximately 700 metres above sea level. The family grows its tea without pesticides, with knowledge and responsibility passing from one generation to the next. Careful oxidation and drying bring out the leaves’ natural sweetness without an additional roasting stage.

The cup offers bright, gently tangy fruit notes, softened by a touch of buttery caramel sweetness. Its texture is smooth and flowing, balancing freshness with a rounded body and a clean finish. Enjoyed on its own, it reveals the finer details of its fruit and sweetness; a little milk gives it a softer, more comforting character. It is equally inviting served warm or chilled.

Profile: Bright fruit, gentle tanginess, buttery caramel sweetness, smooth finish
Origin: Yuchi Township, Sun Moon Lake, Nantou County, Taiwan
Elevation: 700 m
Harvest: April 2026
Farmer: Li family
Cultivar: TTES No. 8 — Assam-derived large-leaf cultivar
Oxidation: High
Roasting: None
Picking: Hand-picked
Brewing suggestion: 90–95 °C | 4 g per 100 ml | 20–30 s for the first infusion, adjusting subsequent infusions to taste