ABOUT DIGNITEA GARDEN

DigniTea Garden
The sunrise at Alishan is one of the eight most spectacular sights in Taiwan. Local aboriginals symbolically describe the rising of the sun in Alishan as a bride in her bright flowing gown arising from behind the colorful clouds with a backdrop of glistening golden rays of sun. This analogy holds true throughout the various seasons in this mountainous area, each providing a slightly different version of this breathtaking scene. It is against the backdrop of these beautiful mountains that you find the breathtaking Dignitea Gardens. The name of our gardens— Dignitea—was chosen as a means of capturing the essence of this spectacular environment in which our tea is grown. Throughout Asian history, as well as many cultures the world-over, purple and gold signify nobility. This idea of royal (purple) gold is at the heart of our name Dignitea.

Our ancestors worked hard to cultivate this land—establishing a tradition that has been passed down for more than 260 years now. The development of the Alishan Highway also paved the way for crops to be moved from flat lands up into the mountains. The combination of tradition and modern means, this mountainous area was finally evolved into a fertile breeding ground for the best quality high mountain tea. In 1986 Dignitea Gardens was established in order to carry forth this long-held tradition of tea cultivation. The garden also began to welcome tea farmers to establish OEM service, thus becoming a center of focus for tea production in the local area. In that there is an abundance of tea varieties available on the market, quality is extremely variable. Since it’s inception, Dignitea Gardens has maintained the highest standards of quality for the production of its tea. This persistence is coupled by the desire to serve as a proud sample of the true flavor of Taiwanese tea.

Advantage of Alishan Tea
According to professional research, the best locations in the world to grow tea are located at high mountain altitudes within 50kms on either side of the equator. Among the many varieties of tea grown in Taiwan, the tea from Alishan is grown in the most ideal location and climate—also being the closest to the Tropic of Cancer. The concentration of ultraviolet rays on the high mountains aid the tea trees in the vital production of essential elements, such as various polyphenols. Among the different polyphenols in tea, catechin is found in the highest concentrations. Catechin is essential in extracting a strong fragrance throughout the tea-making process, and can be noticed by its bitterness. The fog in these high mountain environments also affects the development of the teas by keeping the teas from being overexposed to ultraviolet rays. This serves to bring out more moisture in the tea. This vital aspect of moisture in the cultivation of tea can also prevent tea leaves from fibrosis. Clouds above the tea plants come and go as well, providing further ideal conditions for the tea trees. Alishan harbours an ideal environment for all the aforementioned factors in the growing of tea plants, which is why Alishan tea has earned a strong reputation for quality and great taste.