Liouguei Mountain Tea Shines on the International Stage

　Unlike the tea trees we are familiar with, Taiwan’s mountain tea trees are relatively tall and grow naturally in the uplands. They can reach a height of eight meters, creating a unique sight in which tea farmers have to climb to pluck fresh buds of mountain tea. Kaohsiung’s Liouguei District（六龜）boasts the largest area of wild mountain tea in Taiwan. The yield is limited, and the majority of the collection sites are inside state-owned forests. The tea can only be harvested in April and May, making it rare and precious. Often, it is sold out even before it reaches the market.

　Using distinctive native wild mountain tea grown in state-owned forests, Liu Shih-fu（劉士輔）, a tea master from Huaxing Taiwan Mountain Tea（華興製茶所）in Liouguei, won an award at the 2019 Teas of the World International Contest AVPA-Paris. Wild mountain tea from Liouguei has earned global recognition thanks to this achievement.

　Liu Shih-fu says that Liouguei’s shale soil contributes to the uniquely sweet and mellow aroma of local mountain tea. He mentions that the area’s wild mountain tea has a deep and multi-layered fragrance, with a smooth and mellow tea nature. The flavor is sweet and the taste is delicate, leaving a lasting aftertaste. During the leaf-processing stage, he selects pesticide-free and fertilizer-free tea leaves. Depending on the production area and altitude, he employs different processing methods and techniques to convey the local culture and distinctive flavors of mountain tea.

　Drinking wild mountain tea has become a trend. Tea farmers have taken seedlings from deep in the mountains and planted them in other mountainous areas. Many tea trees are also dwarfed to facilitate harvesting. Tea gardens that practice artificial wild cultivation often adopt environmentally-friendly management practices. Moreover, the tea-making techniques of local tea factories in Liouguei have continuously improved. Mountain tea is processed into various types of teas with different fermentation levels, such as lightly fermented white tea, mildly fermented oolong tea, and fully fermented black tea. Tea aficionados are welcome to visit Liouguei’s Sinfa community, where there are several tea businesses, to savor a cup of refreshing mountain tea.

六龜台灣山茶 名揚國際

　　不同於我們熟知的茶樹，台灣山茶為高大的喬木，自然生長在山林，可生長至8公尺高，造就茶農站在樹上採摘山茶新芽的奇特景象。高雄六龜是台灣最大的野生台灣山茶茶區，產量少，採集地多分布在國有林地，一年僅在4月至5月採收，稀有珍貴，往往未上市就已被訂購一空。

　　2019年，六龜在地的華興製茶廠製茶師劉士輔，以國有林野生茶奪下法國AVPA世界茶葉大賽獎項，讓高雄六龜的野生山茶在國際茶品中嶄露頭角。

　　劉士輔指出，六龜頁岩石的土質，使六龜野生山茶帶有獨特的蜜香味，他說六龜野生山茶香氣深沉，有多種層次，其茶性滑柔，茶水甘甜，品茗時呈現細緻的口感，回甘持久。製茶時，劉士輔選用無農藥、肥料的茶菁，依產區和海拔不同，以不同的製作工序演繹山茶的在地風土與獨特韻味。

　　飲用野生山茶蔚為風潮，茶農從深山引種種植在山間，為了採摘方便，大多矮化山茶樹；採人工野放栽培的茶園多採友善栽植的管理模式，且六龜當地製茶廠製茶技術不斷提升，山茶被製成不同發酵程度的茶品，比如微發酵的白茶、輕發酵的青茶以及完全發酵的紅茶等。歡迎您造訪六龜製茶場林立的新發社區，品茗六龜山茶。

六龜台灣山茶 名揚國際

　　不同於我們熟知的茶樹，台灣山茶為高大的喬木，自然生長在山林，可生長至8公尺高，造就茶農站在樹上採摘山茶新芽的奇特景象。高雄六龜是台灣最大的野生台灣山茶茶區，產量少，採集地多分布在國有林地，一年僅在4月至5月採收，稀有珍貴，往往未上市就已被訂購一空。

　　2019年，六龜在地的華興製茶廠製茶師劉士輔，以國有林野生茶奪下法國AVPA世界茶葉大賽獎項，讓高雄六龜的野生山茶在國際茶品中嶄露頭角。

　　劉士輔指出，六龜頁岩石的土質，使六龜野生山茶帶有獨特的蜜香味，他說六龜野生山茶香氣深沉，有多種層次，其茶性滑柔，茶水甘甜，品茗時呈現細緻的口感，回甘持久。製茶時，劉士輔選用無農藥、肥料的茶菁，依產區和海拔不同，以不同的製作工序演繹山茶的在地風土與獨特韻味。

　　飲用野生山茶蔚為風潮，茶農從深山引種種植在山間，為了採摘方便，大多矮化山茶樹；採人工野放栽培的茶園多採友善栽植的管理模式，且六龜當地製茶廠製茶技術不斷提升，山茶被製成不同發酵程度的茶品，比如微發酵的白茶、輕發酵的青茶以及完全發酵的紅茶等。歡迎您造訪六龜製茶場林立的新發社區，品茗六龜山茶。