Harvest Date: Spring Harvest – Late April
Growing Region: Shan Lin Xi, Nantou County
Elevation: 1600m (5,250ft)
Tea Bush/Varietal: Qing XinFarming Methods: Hand picked. Pesticide free. Natural farming – small family owned tea garden
Production: Ball Rolled Oolong.
This tea is hand-picked from the 2025 qing xin spring harvest from the Chen familiy's organic farm, located in Shan Lin Xi. That all makes this a special tea already, but what really sets this this tea apart is its high natural GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) content – a compound celebrated for its calming and stress-reducing effects.
Through a unique processing method developed in Japan, the freshly picked leaves are placed inside pressurized, oxygen-free barrels and infused with nitrogen for 6–10 hours. This environment converts glutamic acid into GABA, a naturally occurring amino acid known to support mental clarity, relaxation, and mood balance. Afterwards, the leaves are gently roasted, rolled, dried, and compressed multiple times to develop their rich, complex flavor profile.
To qualify as a true GABA tea under Japanese standards, the tea must contain at least 150mg of GABA per 100g of dry leaves. This tea clocks in at around 200mg/100g, thanks to the meticulous nitrogen infusion and careful processing.
Organic Shan Lin Xi GABA Oolong
PREPARATION METHOD:
Amount of Water: 110 ml
Water Temperature: 195°F
Amount of Tea: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 30s/30s/45s/45s/1m/1m
# of Infusions: 1 rinse, 6 steeps