Plucked from the southernmost tea garden in Yunnan, just above the Vietnam border, this tea has a unique personality. It is harvested a few days before the Lunar New Year, towards the end of winter. The leaves have been dormant all winter long, soaking up nutrients in the soil as they rest. The air is dry and cold this time of year and the leaves pick up a notes of smoke in the air and a dewy sweetness.
When steeped, the leaves exude flavors and aromas that range from savory charcoal-smoked veggies to sweet red bean paste. The long winter hibernation has harbored a stamina that will allow this tea to be steeped at least 10 times, each yielding vibrant new notes. The first few steeps offer warm hints of smoke and charcoal, and as each steep reaches deeper within the leaf, it accesses reserves of nectar. Each cup has a healthy amount of body and brings to mind steamed artichoke hearts and summer squash.
Harvest: 2024
Origin: Yunnan, China
Origin: Yunnan, China
Harvest: 2024
• Winter harvest
• Lightly smokey flavor
• Noted of grilled veggies and red bean
• Steeps many times
• Highly unusual flavor profile
• 5g tea per 8oz. water
• Steep 15-20 seconds in 170°-180°F water
• Re-steep for 10 seconds, 3-4 times. Then lengthen the steeps to extract more flavor.
This tea is best steeped in a gaiwan
Use these recommendations for steeping in a western teapot, or when only 1 steep is desired.
• 3g tea per 6oz. water
• Steep 3 minutes in 170°-180°F water
• Re-steep one more time for 2-3 minutes (if desired)
