Sun Moon Lake's Award-Winning Tea Producer: Zhuang Ji Tea Co. Late Winter Beauty White Tea

Mr. **Chuang Rong-Pu** of **Chuang Ji Tea** is the most renowned tea master in Sun Moon Lake and one of Taiwan's most celebrated tea makers. He has achieved an extraordinary record by winning the **Grand Prize (Champion Award)** for **eight consecutive years** at the Sun Moon Lake Black Tea Competition, earning top honors in all four competition categories:
1. Ruby Black Tea (TTES No. 18)
2. Hongyun Black Tea (TTES No. 21)
3. Assam Black Tea
4. Taiwan indigenous wild tea
Because of his remarkable achievements and consistent championship victories, he is widely known as the **"Sun Moon Lake Tea King."** (You can see the factory walls lined with Grand Prize award plaques.)
Late Winter Beauty White Tea
Among all the teas crafted by Mr. Chuang, **Late Winter Beauty White Tea** is one of his rarest and most precious creations. In **December 2021**, tea bushes of the **Chin-Shin-Dapan** cultivar—traditionally grown in Miaoli County for producing Oriental Beauty Tea—were heavily bitten by **tea leafhoppers** due to an unusually warm winter. These tiny insects trigger a natural defensive response in the tea leaves, creating the distinctive honeyed sweetness and fruity aroma that make insect-bitten teas so highly prized. Famous examples include **Oriental Beauty Tea**, **Honey Aroma Black Tea**, and even the celebrated **Second Flush Darjeeling**, which is often referred to as **Muscatel Tea** for the same reason. The term **"Winter Flush"** refers to an exceptionally rare harvest that occasionally occurs between the winter and spring tea seasons. To have a Winter Flush crop that was also naturally bitten by tea leafhoppers is extraordinarily uncommon—a true **once-in-a-lifetime harvest**.
Craftsmanship
The first half of the production process follows the traditional method for **Oriental Beauty Tea**, beginning with withering and then a light pan-firing to halt enzymatic oxidation. In the latter half, however, the leaves are intentionally **left unrolled**, following the style of white tea production. The result is a tea that beautifully bridges the elegant character of **White Tea** and the rich floral sweetness of **Oriental Beauty Tea**. Produced in extremely limited quantities, it is a truly artistic expression of Taiwanese tea craftsmanship.
Imported in only a very small quantity, this is an exceptionally rare Taiwanese tea that we warmly invite you to experience.
Aroma & Flavor: Honey • Longan • Lychee • Mango • Apple
Processing: Withering → Pan-firing → Resting & Rehydration (wrapped in cloth to encourage secondary oxidation) → Drying
Origin: Miaoli County, Taiwan
Cultivar: Chin-Shin-Dapan
Tea Maker: Chuang Rong-Pu (Second Generation of Chuang Ji Tea), the **Sun Moon Lake Tea King**
Elevation: 400 meters
Oxidation: ★★★☆☆
Roasting: ☆☆☆☆☆
Harvest: December 2021
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and humidity after opening.


Tea Leaves : Water (5g : 150ml)
Water Temperature: 98°C
Steeping Time
1st infusion: 1 min 15 sec
2nd infusion: 1 min 15 sec
3rd infusion: 1 min 15 sec
For the best aromatic experience, using a traditional Taiwanese aroma cup set is recommended.
Place **5 g** of tea leaves in **600 ml** of water and refrigerate for **6–8 hours** before serving.