Lifting the Mist: A Look Back at a Masterclass Dedicated to Oriental Beauty

On March 27 and 28, 2026, in Paris, a series of three sessions was held, entirely dedicated to one of the most fascinating—and most misunderstood—teas: Oriental Beauty.

Organized by Anton Tourtier in collaboration with the Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA) and the Tea and Beverage Research Station, this masterclass offered a rare approach: moving beyond storytelling to reach true understanding.

A tea between myth and reality

Oriental Beauty is one of Taiwan’s most emblematic teas, renowned for its singular aromatic profile and its unique origin, linked to insect bites.

From the misty mountains of Taiwan emerge legends—ancient and modern—which, carried by the wind, tell its story. Some reach us. Others reach the palate. Yet opportunities to truly dispel this mist remain rare. To understand Oriental Beauty requires going beyond descriptive tasting:

• What is its real history, beyond the myth?

• Is the role of the insect decisive or conditional?

• How do terroir and processing shape its aromas?

• What differences exist between “insect-bitten” teas depending on their transformation?

• What do Taiwanese competitions actually evaluate?

• And how can prices exceeding that of gold per gram be justified?

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Three sessions to build a rigorous framework

The masterclass was structured around three complementary axes:

1. Terroirs and manufacturing secretsA detailed exploration of production areas and technical choices—such as withering, oxidation, and roasting—and their direct impact on aromatic structure.

2. Grades, quality criteria, and competitionsA decoding of Taiwanese grading systems, often opaque to Western enthusiasts, along with an analysis of the economic logic behind exceptional lots.

3. Reproductions and related teasComparisons with other “insect-bitten” or Oriental Beauty-inspired teas, helping to distinguish what belongs to style, biology… or marketing.

A scientific approach still largely overlooked

One of the major contributions of these sessions lay in their scientific dimension.

Few tea enthusiasts today are aware that a true chemistry underlies Oriental Beauty.

Thanks to a research project conducted with Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture, participants were able to explore concretely:

• how insect bites modify aromatic compounds,

• how these transformations influence honeyed, fruity, or spicy notes,

• and how processing can enhance—or, on the contrary, alter—these balances.

An olfactory session focused on concrete case studies left a particularly strong impression.

An exceptional tea library

Another highlight—still too rarely emphasized beforehand—was the diversity of teas presented.

Participants had access to a true comparative tea library, including:

• Oriental Beauty teas from different Taiwanese terroirs

• Competition lots

• Factory productions

• Rare small-producer teas

• Winners of AVPA international competitions

This richness enabled something rare: to compare, to understand, and to build a personal analytical framework.

Reference points: families and categories explored

To facilitate understanding and discussion, several tea categories were distinguished:

• Oriental Beauty (Bai Hao Oolong)

• Highly oxidized oolongs

• Insect-bitten teas

• Mi Xiang-style oolongs (honeyed aromas)

• Reproductions and derived styles

• Taiwanese competition lots

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A different way of approaching Taiwanese tea

Oriental Beauty is today one of the most accomplished examples of Taiwan’s qualitative strategy developed in the 20th century: shifting value toward rare, identity-driven, and complex teas. But this complexity comes at a cost: a narrative that is often fragmented, and sometimes mythologized. This masterclass aimed precisely to reconstruct a rigorous framework:historical, geographical, cultural, economic, as well as chemical and biological.

And now?

Places were intentionally limited in order to preserve the quality of exchanges and collective analysis. For those who attended, the experience opened new perspectives.

For others, it suggests one thing: there are still territories in the world of tea that can be explored differently. And if a new edition takes place, it will not be a simple tasting

but an invitation to understand.