Roasted oolong can be incredibly delightful—the nutty, rich, full-bodied toasted notes captivate the senses like no other tea. The lingering finish feels textural and very comforting. Recently, we ran out of one of our long-standing staples, a roasted oolong we call Black Dragon. This tea has been a customer favorite for years, so I took it upon myself to create a new batch using my trusty tea roaster. Roasting oolong brings out some of the citric notes and cooks off green flavors. It creates a more full body flavor, and can accentuate some of the floral sweeter aspects.

To start, I compiled a blend of various green oolongs from Ah Li Shan, Meishan, and other regions in Taiwan. The best green Ah Li Shans have a hint of cinnamon and remind me of apple pie straight out of the oven. The quality of the raw material was very good. It was balanced with both very high and bright notes, as well as deep resinous notes. As one oolong connoisseur describes it, “It has the boom and the ping.” I was excited to see how the roasting process would transform it. This time, I decided to try a new roasting method—a technique shared with me by one of Taiwan’s great oolong farmers, who is also a very passionate when it comes to roasting oolong teas.

A Master’s Roasting Secret

During a one-on-one tutorial, this farmer generously divulged his secret for achieving an exceptional roast. Knowing the type of roaster I had—a floor-based unit with a bamboo drum that holds the tea about a foot above the heat source—he tailored his advice to my setup. While modern roasters in Taiwan often resemble stand-up ovens with more precise controls, he assured me that my traditional roaster could still yield outstanding results if I followed his method.

“What’s the secret?” I asked.

“Turn that sucker up to full blast,” he said with a grin. “Set the heat to high.”

He explained, “Do you like cooking Chinese food with a wok?” I nodded. “Then you’ll understand this method. Just like when you cook with a wok, you use high heat for a short time to sear in the flavors. The same principle applies to roasting tea. Use your nose to guide you—it’s your most important tool.”

He warned me that the tea would go through several aroma stages, some of which might be unpleasant. “That’s normal,” he said. “You need to cook off those undesirable notes to bring out the tea’s essential flavors. Don’t be afraid to keep going.”

Breaking Tradition

I was intrigued but also cautious. Others who had taught me how to roast tea strongly recommended a lower and slower approach—keeping the roaster at 110°C and rotating the tea every 15 minutes. When I mentioned the high-heat method to them, they shook their heads and said, “That will never work.”

Still, I was determined to try the farmer’s advice. I roasted the tea, then let it rest. I roasted it again, flipped the leaves, let it rest some more, and repeated the process. Day after day, I tasted the tea, looking for signs of improvement.

At first, I was discouraged. The tea didn’t seem to be developing the complexity I wanted. But around the fourth or fifth day of roasting and resting, something remarkable happened. A new aroma emerged—deep, nutty, and rich. The tea’s character was transforming dramatically.

The Result: A New Black Dragon

After a few more roasting sessions and careful attention to the tea’s progress, I decided it was time to let the leaves rest for good. I brewed a cup, and the result was everything I had hoped for: toasty, nutty, and beautifully balanced.

I’m proud to present to you the new batch of Black Dragon, roasted right here at J-Tea. It’s now available at Sundance Natural Foods in their bulk section, as well as in individual packets at J-Tea on Friendly Street and on our website. You can also find it at Marché Provisions, or if you’re a retailer interested in carrying Black Dragon, feel free to contact me for wholesale options.

This tea represents a fusion of tradition and experimentation, and I’m thrilled to share it with you. I hope you’ll enjoy this batch as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Learning from this experience was both enriching and rewarding. I was so pleased with the results, that the next day I started roasting a completely different style of oolong tea. I look forward to sharing that story with you soon. As for now, give this latest batch of Black Dragon a try and let us know what you think. As always, we love the life long process of learning about tea. We also love sharing the journey with you and we love to hear from you. Cheers!