Taiwan's Yilan County Products Earn Stars at UK's Great Taste Awards

Taiwan's Yilan County is celebrating an international culinary achievement, with 15 products from nine local farmers and businesses earning stars at the prestigious UK's Great Taste Awards. The county government presented a red scroll to honor the recipients.

Among the honorees, Xin Kuan Tea Garden in Dongshan Township secured the highest accolade, a three-star award, for its "Osmanthus Oolong Tea." This recognition places Yilan's agricultural products on the global stage, highlighting their exceptional quality and unique flavors.

The Great Taste Awards, established in 1994, is a renowned international food and drink evaluation. Judges, including chefs, food experts, and writers, conduct blind tastings to assess products based on flavor, aroma, and texture. This year's competition saw over 15,000 entries from 116 countries.

Xin Kuan Tea Garden's "Osmanthus Oolong Tea" was one of only eight entries from Taiwan to receive a three-star award. The tea impressed judges with its delicate, elegant, and rich flavor profile, achieved by infusing Yilan's characteristic osmanthus fragrance into oolong tea. This success showcases the tea maker's skill in transforming local terroir into a distinctively international tea.

In total, Yilan County received one three-star award, five two-star awards, and nine one-star awards. Other recognized products include "Jade Green Tea" from Hua Jian Tea House, "Osmanthus Mud Happy Fruit Jam" from Green Field Tea Garden, "Longan Honey" from Da He Honey Workshop, and "Fragrant Concubine Oolong" from Yong Da Tea Industry. Several other tea and honey products also earned one-star awards, demonstrating the diverse strengths of Yilan's agriculture, from primary production to value-added processing.

Lin Mao, the acting county magistrate, congratulated the awardees, stating that their success proves Yilan's agricultural products possess international competitiveness. He pledged continued support from the county government for brand refinement and international market expansion.