Yilan Tea Farmer Huang Zicheng's Self-Produced Pineapple-Scented Ruby Black Tea Wins International 3-Star Honor

 

 

The Yilan County Government said today that Sansing Township tea farmer Huang Zicheng recently entered his self-produced "Pineapple-Scented Ruby" in the International Taste & Quality Institute awards in Belgium, and due to its unique aroma and refined taste, he won the favor of the judges and received the highest-level 3-star medal.

 

The county government said that the International Taste Institute (iTQi) in Belgium, known as the "Michelin of the food world," recently announced the results of its 2021 evaluation, and Huang Zicheng, a young farmer from Sansing Township in Yilan County, entered "Pineapple-Scented Ruby" produced by his family's Huang Ji Tea Factory in the competition, winning the highest-level 3-star honor of the International Taste & Quality Institute.

Yilan County Magistrate Lin Zimiao went to the Huang Ji Tea Factory yesterday to offer congratulations and to recommend this world-class fine tea to people across the country. The county government pointed out that the judging team for this international evaluation is composed of well-known chefs from more than 20 countries, and scoring is carried out in a "blind tasting" format, with comprehensive performance scored on first impression, vision, smell, taste, texture and finish. In addition, because of his superb tea-making skills, Huang Zicheng won the honor of Yilan County's second Organic Tea King in 2018.

 

Sansing Township Chief Li Zhiyong also went to the Huang Ji Tea Factory today to present a commemorative plaque and offer congratulations. Li Zhiyong said that Huang Zicheng, now 41 years old, is a second-generation tea maker and has been making tea alongside his father Huang Renlai for more than 10 years. The tea garden is located in the mountains beside Changpi Lake in Sansing Township, covers about 2 hectares, and is cultivated in a friendly way, with 0.15 hectares even having obtained organic certification.

 

He said that in recent years the Huang Ji Tea Factory has been committed to innovating tea-making techniques and has planted Tai Tea No. 18 (the Ruby variety), taking on black tea, which few people in Yilan grow, and gradually researching and producing a distinctive tea with local Sansing flavors such as pineapple, sugarcane and honey aromas.

 

Huang Zicheng said that his family has grown black tea for many years, that no additives at all are used in making the tea, and that by controlling and adjusting the fermentation time and degree and the production process, the tea leaves' original underlying notes are brought out and a fruity flavor is added. Winning 3 stars this time surprised him, and his past efforts had finally not been in vain.

 

Huang Zicheng said he hopes that through his own techniques he can make fine tea that belongs to Yilan, give the tea leaves a different character, and also let visitors to Yilan drink good tea.