How We Source Tea in Taiwan

Visiting Tea Farms and Learning from Local Tea Producers

One of the most important parts of WayCha is knowing exactly where the tea comes from. Each year I travel to Taiwan to visit tea farms, taste teas at their source and meet the people who grow and produce them. Spending time in the tea growing regions allows me to experience the teas in their natural environment and understand the craftsmanship behind them.

I also enjoy speaking with local growers, tea shop owners and tea drinkers, learning as much as I can about the different styles of Taiwanese tea, how they are produced and the culture that surrounds them. These conversations and experiences help deepen my understanding of tea and allow me to bring that knowledge back to the UK to share through WayCha.

Taiwan’s Tea Culture

Taiwan has a deep and diverse tea culture that is very different from how tea is typically consumed in the UK. While tea in the UK is often associated with tea bags and quick everyday drinking, tea in Taiwan is treated with far greater attention to quality, preparation and flavour.

Across Taiwan there are many different types of tea available, from lightly oxidised oolong teas to roasted mountain teas and fragrant green teas. Each region produces teas with their own character, shaped by the climate, altitude and traditional processing methods used by local growers.

Tea is also enjoyed in a more mindful way. It is common to sit down with friends or family and brew tea slowly over several infusions, appreciating how the flavour develops with each brew. This slower approach allows people to fully experience the aroma, taste and atmosphere that tea creates.

One of the things I hope to share through WayCha is not just the teas themselves, but also a little of this culture. The quality and character of Taiwanese tea, combined with the calm and enjoyment that comes from taking time to brew and appreciate it, is something that deserves to be experienced more widely here in the UK.

Visiting Tea Farms

Visiting tea farms is one of the most rewarding parts of travelling through Taiwan’s tea regions. Seeing the tea plants growing in the mountains and understanding the environment they grow in gives a completely different perspective compared with simply buying tea through a supplier.

Spending time on the farms allows me to see the process more closely, from the tea bushes themselves to the way the leaves are harvested and prepared. The climate, altitude and soil all play a role in shaping the character of the tea, and experiencing this firsthand helps build a much deeper appreciation for the work involved.

Tasting tea directly with growers is also an important part of the process. Sitting down to sample different teas allows me to compare flavours, aromas and balance, often tasting several batches side by side. Each harvest can vary slightly depending on the season and processing methods, so tasting the tea at its source helps ensure the teas I select truly represent the quality and style of Taiwanese tea.

Being able to experience the tea in the place it was grown, while speaking with the people who produce it, provides an insight that simply cannot be gained from a catalogue. It helps ensure the teas chosen for WayCha are authentic, carefully selected and true to their origin.

Bringing Taiwanese Tea to the UK

After visiting tea farms, tasting different harvests and selecting the teas that stand out for their quality and character, the next step is bringing those teas back to the UK to share through WayCha.

Each tea is chosen with care, based on flavour, balance and how well it represents the style of tea it comes from. By selecting teas directly in Taiwan, it allows me to offer teas that are closer to their origin and reflective of the craftsmanship of the growers who produce them.

But the aim is not only to bring back good tea. It is also about sharing a little of the tea culture that exists in Taiwan. The appreciation for quality tea, the slower pace of brewing and tasting, and the enjoyment that comes from taking time to sit down with a good cup of tea.

Through WayCha, I hope people in the UK can experience some of that for themselves. By trying authentic Taiwanese loose leaf tea and comparing it with the tea many of us are used to drinking here, it becomes easier to appreciate the difference in flavour, quality and overall experience.

Sometimes all it takes is a single good cup of tea to see tea in a completely different way.

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