a conversation with . . . Marulin Teas

Pilar Serrano of European Tea Society had the pleasure of talking to Mr. Lin Kunti of MingJian Township, Nantou County in Taiwan when they met recently at the Speciality Fine Food Fair in London. As well as visiting the Fair, Mr. Lin was in London to meet his new grand daughter and support the family business, Marulin Teas, run by his daughter Chau-Jean Lin.

Mr. Lin has been a tea farmer since the 1950’s when he inherited , with his brothers 3.5 hectares of farms from his father. Although the land is divided into three parts, it is managed as a single entity. The farm is just outside of his town, at an elevation of 500 metres, yielding 5,600 kg per annum, mainly oolong, over five harvests. The farm is part of a local cooperative.

Mr. Lin feels that his tea is special mainly because of the red soil which is rich in iron, differentiating his teas from other teas in other regions. The oolongs are made floral and green using a combination of traditional methods and modern machinery. The biggest challenge is always the weather, the most difficult issue being sudden afternoon showers. The most significant changes over the years have been the introduction of sprinkler systems, the use of screens to protect the tea from summer heat and winter frost, and semi-automatic processing systems which have led to a reduction in labour.

Mr. Lin’s favourite tea is four seasons oolong, which he used to drink as a teenager when he was studying for his examinations. He recalls, as a youngster, how making tea was fun, when he tossed and shook the tea leaves during the withering and rolling stages of the oolong process. He still remembers the scent of tea leaves drying whilst walking through the village during harvest time. A scent he still enjoys to this day!