One Tea Workshop Introduction
The making of a good local tea in a cup, and the heartfelt intention behind it, comes from the persistence of the tea farmers in Alishan. Yi Cha Workshop uses natural farming methods, presenting the intrinsic qualities of the tea leaves, without extravagance or exaggeration. Upholding a local spirit of respecting nature, loving the land, and making good tea, the aim is to convey the happiness of enjoying a cup of tea. Although Director Lin Ying-Chiao inherited the family business, she also started from scratch to understand the journey of Taiwanese good tea, facing challenges with determination. Starting from their own tea garden, she learned about tea cultivation, harvesting, processing, roasting, marketing, and even running a brand tea shop, taking strict control over the quality of the tea leaves. She is determined to let customers taste true and authentic Taiwanese good tea! There are no secrets to this journey, apart from persistence, simply persistence. When talking about this entrepreneurial journey, Lin Ying-Chiao mentioned that the hardest part was understanding the profound knowledge of "managing a tea garden." Especially in the early days of the business, during the tea-picking season, when faced with frequent labor shortages in the mountains, she often felt panicked. Looking back on those difficult days, she can now smile and say: it's worth it! Hence, she boldly tells consumers, "The tea you drink, we grow ourselves." This sentiment towards consumers and local good tea is what has allowed the Yi Cha brand to emerge, with simple and unadorned packaging that enables consumers to focus on the essence of the tea itself, returning to the original intent of healthy and burdens-free tea drinking. The star product in the store is called "Peach Joy Black Tea", which plays on the homophone for "lovable." It is an improvement on the tea packaging from earlier tea sellers, visually connected to an ancient map of "Peach City." This black tea is made from the selected Ali Shan Qing Xin Oolong variety, grown at 23.5 degrees north latitude. The tea’s character is mild and unobtrusive, yet its rhythmic variations are rich, much like the genuine nature of Chiayi people. Through a new approach to tea drinking, the goal is to introduce young people to the world of Taiwanese tea, a mission of continuous legacy, aiming to let them savor the essence of a truly good Taiwanese tea. Recommended items: Taiwanese Tea No. 18, English Scone.
