Tea Harvest and Quality:

How Seasons Shape Flavor 

The season in which tea is harvested plays a vital role in determining its quality. Factors like temperature, sunlight, and rainfall directly affect how tea plants grow and develop their flavor profiles.

Oolong tea, for example, can be cultivated year-round. However, it thrives in cooler climates, making winter the best season for producing high-quality Oolong. When grown in low temperatures, the leaves develop a more refined aroma and flavor. That’s why our Organic QingXin Oolong Tea, a lightly roasted variety, shines in winter harvests—delivering a naturally aromatic brew with honeyed, fruity notes and a smooth, sweet aftertaste.

Due to the colder weather, tea plants grow more slowly in winter, which leads to smaller yields but superior quality. Only select tea farms located at mid-to-low elevations are able to produce this delicate, light-roast Oolong during the winter months.

In contrast, black tea reaches its peak quality in the summer. Our Organic Ruby Red Tea—also known as Taiwanese Tea No.18—is a bold, dark-roasted tea with subtle hints of mint and cinnamon. This variety is more “wild” in nature, requiring strong sunlight and abundant water to flourish. The full-sun environment of our farm ensures that Ruby Red Tea develops its distinct character and depth of flavor, making summer the ideal season for its harvest.

Each season brings out the best in different teas—and at CafeSIS, we honor those rhythms to craft exceptional organic teas that reflect the richness of their origins.