Hello everyone, I’m Andy, a tea enthusiast.
The process of making oolong tea can be described as a series of water-reduction steps.
As moisture evaporates, hydrolysis and polymerization reactions occur within the tea leaves, creating a captivating aroma and flavor.
During this process, there’s a unique stage known as “Cha Sao,” where the tea leaves exhibit a magical fragrance.
Today, I’d like to share what exactly Cha Sao is.
What is Cha Sao?
Cha Sao refers to the stage during rolling when the tea leaves are soft and still retain moisture.
The leaves appear in long twisted strips, resembling rope, which is why it’s also called “tea ropes”—“Suo” means “rope” in Taiwanese Hokkien.
Is Cha Sao tasty?
Thanks to its partial fermentation, Cha Sao develops an enchanting aroma.
Some describe its scent as similar to mango or longan—sweet and fruity.
Its taste is smooth and sweet without bitterness, and drinking it in large sips is especially satisfying.
When brewed in a Yixing clay teapot, it releases a layered fragrance akin to “liquid perfume.
” However, drinking too much may cause stomach discomfort for some, as the tea may feel too “raw.”
Can you buy Cha Sao?
Years ago, a tea called “Frozen Tea” became popular in the market, which was actually Cha Sao.
Since it contains high moisture and is prone to mold or aroma loss, it must be kept frozen to preserve its quality. Eventually, due to storage challenges and the fact that it caused stomach pain in some drinkers, frozen tea gradually disappeared from the market.
Why doesn’t store-bought tea have Cha Sao’s magical fragrance?
Many of the tea’s aromatic molecules have low boiling points and evaporate easily during heating steps.
For instance, Wen Shan Bao Zhong has a more prominent aroma than ball-rolled oolong tea because it doesn’t go through the heated rolling process.
Ball rolling shapes the tea into tight balls but requires heat, which causes aromatic compounds to dissipate.
Even though Wen Shan Bao Zhong skips prolonged rolling, drying still removes a significant amount of aroma.
That’s why most teas we buy today lack Cha Sao’s unique fragrance.
If you’d like to taste the unique flavor of Cha Sao for yourself, feel free to leave a comment to reserve a session.
That’s all for today’s sharing. Wishing every tea producer a smooth and successful season. See you next time!
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