$ 15.00
Plucked from wild trees growing high on Ai Lao Mountain, this loose leaf shou cha is perfect as an introduction to puerh or as a refreshing breather for the afficionado. It has been sorted to include only the tips and has an effect that is clarifying and uplifting.
The first steep yields a bright and vivid infusion, with each consecutive cup reaching deeper notes of the leaf. The mineral content of the soil is prevalent in the cup with bright, energizing notes of copper, and grounding undertones of cocoa and damp earth. The liquor has a silky mouthfeel and leaves a lasting coolness in the throat, unusual for a tea of this style.
Origin: Yunnan, China
Harvest: 2018
$ 22.00
This loose puerh from Mangjing village is made up of leaf from several family's efforts to combine all of the old growth and feral tea growing in the mountains. The fog-covered hills are home to an incredible range of biodiversity, in which tea plants thrive in the mineral-rich soil that feeds the local ecosystem.
This tea was plucked and pile-fermented in 2015, and has been evolving in the years it has been aging. The liquor is a rich umber with a strong peat-like aroma. Each sip allows you to explore the depth and variety of flavors present in the leaf, from chocolate, to earth, wood, and notes of spice. The leaves can be re-steeped all day long and their warmth and smoothness have the effect of cultivating an inner, grounded energy.
Origin: Yunnan, China
Harvest: 2015
$ 10.00
Everyone loves tea, but figuring out exactly what kind someone wants can be a puzzle.
Enter: Magical Online Gift Card!
Whether you have a sick friend who needs a pick me up, a boss who has it out for you, a partner who banished you to the dog house, completely forgot your mother's birthday, or don't know what to get someone for your first Valentine's Day together...
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*these statements have not been approved by the FDA
PLEASE NOTE: Gift cards will be emailed automatically to the purchaser. You will then be able to forward them to the recipient with a loving note. Gift cards issued online can only be used on the website. Unfortunately, they can not be redeemed in the store :(
If you'd like to receive an in-store gift card, please email or call.
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*We are currently sold out of this tea. We expect the 2021 harvest to be available in September and will have more after then*
Here's a tea you won't find anywhere else. Awa Bancha is only made in one small prefecture in Japan, and is barely known even in Japan. It goes through a unique lacto-fermentation process that yields a tea like no other.
The uniqueness of this tea starts at the plucking, which takes place in the summer, when the leaves have grown large and hardened. Every leaf is stripped from the branches, so each year the whole plant re-grows and there is only one harvest each year. From there, the leaves are boiled to soften them and make them more pliable. They are then rolled, similar to an oolong, but then packed into fermentation jars, and covered with banana leaves and heavy rocks to soak in their own juices. Because the tea is harvested so late, the leaves have a higher sugar content, which increases the fermenation that occurs. About a month later, the leaves are removed and air-dried.
The result is a drink that is slightly sour, sweet, and tangy depending on how you steep it. It is incredibly versatile and can be boiled over a fire to get the medicinal properties, or steeped more delicately to extract the sweeter notes. Awa Bancha's nickname used to be "peasant's tea" because it was typically boiled and every leaf was used, unlike other teas.
The flavor is best suited for those who love pickles, sauerkraut and all things probiotic. It is great for the gut and the more you drink it, the more your body will crave its effects.
$ 23.00
This interesting tea is grown in Hunan and processed in a similar way as sheng puerh. The leaves are plucked in the spring, withered, fired, and rolled. But what sets this tea apart is the roughly 2 months of repetitive low-heat smoking that the leaves undergo afterwards. The result is a bright, energizing tea with a tannic overtone, contrasting with the earthen wood smoke that is most prominent in the first few steeps.
Plucked in 2016, the leaves have aged beautifully in bamboo baskets which have allowed the flavors to interact seamlessly. This tea has a cult following in the shop!
$ 78.00
We are honored to offer you this tea. These 200g cakes are a community effort to interlace feral and old growth tea from around the village and mountains of Mangjing. The leaves were plucked and fermented in 2015 and have since developed into an incredible tea which we had pressed in 2019. The aroma is thick and earthen, yielding to a deep chocolate liquor with an incredible velvety mouthfeel. Each sip leaves traces of cacao, berries and peat all the way down to your stomach, where it fosters an internal warmth and grounding energy.
The village of Mangjing is situated in the ancient tea-producing Jingmai Mountain range and is home to the Bee Immortal Tree, central to the village's agricultural calendar. The immense banyan tree is draped in dozens of beehives, which are closely watched throughout the year. When the majority of bees return in the spring, it is the signal to begin plucking the tea trees.
This tea is a decadent shou cha that can be steeped all day long and still present new flavors. The roots of these trees tap into so many layers of minerals in the rich soil, that each steep unveils new depth and complexities.
$ 10.00
These Baby Cakes are the perfect option for tea drinkers on the go! Easy to pack and portion, and cute as heck too. Each tong is wrapped and tied in bamboo and contains seven individually wrapped 7g cakes. Great for gifting, steeping and even flipping for making important life decisions.
This raw Puerh was plucked from trees growing wild in Pu'er. The tea is refreshing and approachable, even for those who are new to Sheng Puerh or are usually turned off by it. Its aromatics exude notes if honey and magnolia blossoms and the tea steeps to a soft yellow liquor. Balanced and clean, this tea is invigorating and smooth at the same time. It is sweet and doesn't have the astringent finish often associated with Sheng Puerh. Its effect on the body is energizing and cooling, perfect as a creativity booster or to combat the heat in the summer.
Sheng Puerh does not go through the piling fermentation process that Shou Puerh goes through, so it does not have the earthy notes typically associated with Puerh.
Harvest: 2021
Origin: Pu'er, Yunnan
$ 95.00
This offering has been a labor of love. I have spent the last year searching for different styles of Puerh to display the variety in flavor and experience, while also helping us forge deeper connections to nature through tea. The result is the Elemental Tea Series.
I've selected two Sheng Puerhs and two Shou Puerhs and had them pressed into 100g cakes. Each one brings something special to the table and is aligned with a different natural element.
Roots is a 1995 Shou Puerh from Menghai Factory
Minerals is a 2016 Shou Puerh from Simao
Light is a spring 2020 Sheng Puerh with buds from the Ai Lao Mountains
Wind is a 2020 autumn Sheng Puerh from Mangjing Village
You can read all about this journey and learn more about things to consider while preparing these teas here.
Each set is wrapped together with information and steeping recommendations included for all the teas. The first 10 sets sold will include a tea pick. All of the artwork was illustrated by Ali in an attempt to further put her heart on the line. We hope you will enjoy this tea journey.
$ 20.00
This spring 2020 shou cha fits perfectly into our Puerh collection. Plucked from 200-400 year old trees, its perfectly balanced flavors of slightly dry raw cacao, damp bark and light minerality sit deep in the throat and belly. It has the ability to steep rich and deep while still maintaining a clear liquor. The small leaf grade is accented with bright red young leaves and is pressed into 100 gram cakes that are able to be broken up without the need for a pick. This tea creates a warmth and calmness that makes it idea in the evening or any time you need to get grounded. We recommend this tea for everyone from Puerh novices looking for an smooth cup, to aficionados needing something flavorful but calming.
We also offer this tea in 7g Baby Cakes!
Harvest: 2020
Origin: Yunnan, China
$ 14.00
These Baby Cakes are the perfect option for tea drinkers on the go! Easy to pack and portion, and cute as heck too. Each tong is wrapped and tied in bamboo and contains seven individually wrapped 7g cakes. Great for gifting, steeping and even flipping for making important life decisions.
This spring 2020 shou cha fits perfectly into our Puerh collection. Plucked from 200-400 year old trees, its perfectly balanced flavors of slightly dry raw cacao, damp bark and light minerality sit deep in the throat and belly. It has the ability to steep rich and deep while still maintaining a clear liquor. The small leaf grade is accented with bright red young leaves and is pressed into 100 gram cakes that are able to be broken up without the need for a pick. This tea creates a warmth and calmness that makes it idea in the evening or any time you need to get grounded. We recommend this tea for everyone from Puerh novices looking for an smooth cup, to aficionados needing something flavorful but calming.
We also offer this tea in 100g cakes.
Harvest: 2020
Origin: Yunnan, China
$ 70.00
These are the second cakes Blue Willow commissioned. The first-flush, pre-rain tips were plucked in 2018 from strictly old growth, wild trees and have a lot going on. Best when flash steeped repeatedly, this tea is like a slow drip of energy, and really can steep all day. The aroma is fresh, bright and incredibly floral. When sipped, the tea leads with an intense burst that is at once dry and silky, leaving a cooling sensation in your throat. The flavor is verdant with notes of dried apricot, and the fresh astringency is beginning to smooth out and embrace it's earthiness in the years it's been aging.
These cakes will only get better over time and supplies are limited.
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This cake is a part of our Elemental Tea Series, a four-tea set of Puerhs that is meant to examine differences in Puerhs while also connecting us to the natural world through tea.
Picked and processed in the 1990s, this shou puerh was processed in Menghai and dry stored in Kunming ever since. The leaves are plucked from feral tea trees and have not been compressed. Dry storage has allowed the tea to develop its fermentation slowly, preserving much of the energetic and flavor characteristics within the tea. The aroma is earthy and warm and it steeps to an impressively smooth soup. The flavors are rich but are able to stand out without becoming muddled or dirty. Soft undertones of driftwood lay the base while a clean earthen flavor takes center stage. The tea finishes with warm hints baked clay and moss and leave behind a refreshed palate and an open airway and chest.
Tea is a product of the earth and has the innate ability to alter our physical state. Shou puerh, especially old growth and aged puerh, creates a warmth in the body, drawing our energy into our core tethering us to the ground. As you sip this tea, notice the pull towards the earth as the tea builds heat within. Taste the depth and richness of nutrients that these old roots have cultivated and absorbed into its leaves. Feel the energy that this tea exudes as it is awakened from its decades-long aging. You can almost feel it thanking you for bringing it back to life.
We are reserving the remaining cakes of this tea for the Elemental Tea Series. *wrapper art by Ali*
$ 12.00
The quintessential tool for anyone who enjoys a good pressed tea. This beautiful knife has a large handle to firmly grasp to help prevent any slips and is nice to look at too. The edges are beveled to a point to separate tea without being sharp enough to slice you. It comes with a nice little cover to help protect the knife (and you!)
$ 35.00
This cake is a part of our Elemental Tea Series, a four-tea set of Puerhs that is meant to examine differences in Puerhs while also connecting us to the natural world through tea.
Much like the changing of the seasons, this tea exemplifies the autumnal change of air. Harvested in the fall in Mangjing Village, this tea is a collaboration with Theasophie. Cooler season teas grow slower in the shorter days, giving them time to absorb more nutrients from the soil. This tea offers aromatic notes of fallen leaves and burnt sugar. Steeping to a soft yellow, the flavor is robust and brings an astringency that coats the mouth with a lingering hint of dried apricot.
Sheng puerh has an invigorating and cooling effect on the body. It brings our energy into our minds, sparking creativity and energizing us. When drinking this tea, notice the sensations it leaves you with. Can you feel the coolness of your breath in your throat as you breathe? Much like a refreshing breeze, this tea offers a crisp, pleasant sensation. It draws awareness to the point where the air that moves around us becomes the air within us.
Cakes can be purchased solo, in a bamboo tong of 5, or as a set in our Elemental Tea Series. *wrapper art by Ali*
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This cake is a part of our Elemental Tea Series, a four-tea set of Puerhs that is meant to examine differences in Puerhs while also connecting us to the natural world through tea.
This tea was harvested in 2016 and pressed for us in 2020. It has relaxed into its pressed state and offers a full body drinking experience. The flavor is both deep and bright, as it is warms the throat while activating the roof of your mouth with an iron-rich tingle. The flavor gets richer with each steep and lingers long after each sip. Aromas of damp bark and rising dough give way to a smooth, deeply satisfying flavor. Each sip can be felt internally as it builds warmth.
Tea plants develops flavor through their connection to the air, water and the soil. Minerals are present in every soil structure and help to nurture tea plants and humans alike. When drinking this tea, notice the increasing depth in flavor that comes with each steep. As the water reaches deeper in to the leaf it brings us closer to the heart of the tea through the veins carrying precious minerals. This tea has in innate ability to center us while nourishing us with the plentiful minerals it has absorbed.
These cakes can now only be purchased in a set with our Elemental Tea Series. *wrapper art by Ali*
$ 15.00
This cake is a part of our Elemental Tea Series, a four-tea set of Puerhs that is meant to examine differences in Puerhs while also connecting us to the natural world through tea.
Plucked in spring 2020, this sheng is a combination of leaves and puerh buds. The tea is both light in flavor and in spirit. Its aroma conjures a likeness of a dewy meadow, with damp earth and fresh grass. There is a slight astringency that cools the mouth and internal systems and draws the energy up into the mind.
Plant buds hold the prospect of new growth and within them the ability to create. Energetically, sheng brings energy into the mind, sparking creativity and helping inspire ideas. Much like shining a light in a dark corner, sheng puerh can illuminate dormant ideas and help us realize aspirations. When drinking this tea, allow your mind to wander and see what new ideas start to come into focus.
Cakes can be purchased solo, in a bamboo-wrapped tong, or as a set in our Elemental Tea Series. *Wrapper art by Ali*