PREMIUM BLACK TEA - CHINA
BIG BLESSING Yunnan Black Tea - 2 oz
I have always thought Yunnan Hong (Black) Cha should be its own food group - somewhere between the fruit and dessert course of a meal, or in lieu of dessert, because of it's rich, syrupy character. This special blend is to be savored. The tea is composed of a blend of fine tips and buds which is the first indicator of its refined quality. Dry leaf presents with a intoxicating trifecta of floral, fruity and chocolate aromas. The dark amber tea soup is full bodied and very smooth with a delicious bouqet of floral, fruity, malt, chocolate and caramel notes punctuated with a dash of pepper spice. It has just the right structure to enjoy it on it's own, or if you prefer, with milk and sweetener. The generosity of flavor and aroma reminded me of what a big blessing it is to experience Camellia sinensis in so many beautiful ways, such as this. Spring harvest.
Da Xue Shan Assamica Black Tea - 2 oz
This is a wonderful example of the wild, playfulness of Mengku teas from Lincang, Yunnan. Compare the difference in terroir in this tea from other Yunnan Hong cha and you will find less of the malty, chocolate notes and more bright, floral, jungle fruit, peppery flavors and aromas. First flush Assamica leaves laden with golden buds from 40 year old bushes present on the dry leaf with aromas of date, berries, and fresh sweet tobacco. The tea soup is dark amber, thick, mouthwatering and syrupy with a cacophony of floral, citrus, berry (cranberry!), pepper and wild flower honey notes. Bright, brisk, complex but not complicated, and rather exotic!
Spring Harvest
GOLDEN BUDDHA SPRING TIPS Black Tea - 2 oz
100% pure buds! This clarifying yet soothing tea is made from early Spring, first-picked sprouts expertly crafted to produce a lovely, rich, smooth yet potent black tea. Enticing aromas of chocolate malt and buckwheat honey emanate off the dry leaf. Full of downy "tea hairs", you can expect a thick, syrupy sweet mouthfeel with loads of malt, bittersweet chocolate and raw sugar notes. This tea has depth and the method of steeping will determine its potency. For a sweeter experience, short steeps may be best, but for the initiated, hotter and longer will bring out the complex flavors and sweet/spicy structure. Like most Yunnan teas, this will age well and continue to develop over the next 3-4 years. From Simao, Yunnan. Spring Harvest.
MI XIANG "HONEY FRAGRANCE" Black Tea - 2 oz
Ambrosial. This is another tea I would keep around just for pure aromatherapy sake not to mention its enticing flavor. Loads of twisted, golden leaf and buds from a Yunnan Assamica cultivar present a dry aroma of malt and pastry. The soup is clear golden amber with a complex profile of intense spicy lilac, and orchid, honey, dried cherry, balsam, green wood, coriander and frankincense notes (there are probably several more!). Flavor is rich with little astringency, mouthwatering and layered with floral, malt and smooth sandalwood. A gorgeous tea to meditate upon. Like most Yunnan black teas, you can enjoy this tea as it ages. Simao, Yunnan, China. Spring Harvest
WULIANG MAO FENG Black Tea - 2 oz
This lovely mao feng varietal was grown on the high slopes of Wu Liang Mountain in Simao, Yunnan, China. The dry leaf presents malt, alfalfa, shucked peas, green wood, caramel. The tea soup is medium bodies, highly aromatic, with silky smooth mouthfeel, and soft tannins. Sweet, woodsy, floral and savory mineral notes delight the nose and palate with hints of milk chocolate, honey, alfalfa, light caramel. The overall energy and experience of this tea is comforting, familiar, maybe even nostalgic. A superb everyday tea you can enjoy as it ages. Spring harvest
QIMEN (KEEMUN) MAO FENG Black Tea - 2 oz
Qimen ("chee-men") aka Keemun tea is one of China's most famous black teas from the beautiful, iconic Huangshan mountain area of Anhui Province. Often referred to the red Bourgogne of tea, due to its complexity and richness, one could indeed contemplate and savor this tea, and even pair it with food (try it with a true French Brie or aged English Cheddar!). The dry leaf is small, fine and twisted, and presents an inviting aroma of dried stone fruit, wine and malt. Once brewed, rich, syrupy layers of aromas and favors open across the palate then sink in - dried plum, cassis, dark chocolate, orchid flower, oak, dark caramel, malt, a faint whiff of smoke and perhaps a dash of spice. A delicious tea best enjoyed without addition of milk or sweeteners. Brew in a pot with boiling water for 5-7 minutes for best results. Anhui, China
ZHENG SHAN XIAO ZHONG LAPSANG SOUCHONG Black Tea - 2 oz
A lovely, premium Wuyi tea with a lot going on. Bright floral and chocolate aromas rise from the cup, and sweet, juicy longan fruit apple, blackberry, cinnamon and rose notes dance on the palate, finishing with a hint of cacao, peat and smoke. This is the traditional, gongfu Lapsang Souchong, This is the European-style heavy pine-smoked tea. Fujian, China
WILD YESHENG ANCESTOR TREE PURPLE LEAF Black Tea - 2 oz
Purple Gold! The Violet Flame of the tea world! This exquisite and rare, fully oxidized black tea is made from a primeval purple leaf tea varietal (Camellia sinensis Kuntze var. Assamica Kitam) in Dashi village (Lincang prefecture). Hints of chocolate, barrel-aged rum, and wild tropical fruit swirl within its beautiful amber soup. A real treat for special occasions which is always when we are drinking tea. Yunnan, China. Spring
AI LAO RED DRAGON Black Tea - 2 oz
This is a special Yunnan Gao Shan cha expertly crafted by a Taiwanese tea master using tea material from Ai Lao Mountain, Yunnan at 6000+ feet in altitude. First I will say, most everyone will love this tea for its unique flavor profile that is a gustatory delight. Unlike most malty, chocolaty Yunnan blacks, notes of juicy fruits, tropical flowers, nuts, and an almost nectar-like sweetness are highlighted here. It's richness is in the layers of flavors and aromas that keep on giving. The soup is rich, silky smooth and soft, with very little tannins - reminds of a muscatel Darjeeling in some ways. Delicious to the last drop. Yunnan, China Spring Flush
FENG QING JIN YA GOLDEN BUDS Black Tea - 2 oz
Oh my! I will start off by saying, when I sipped on my first cup of this years Golden Buds, my hands automatically went up in the namaste mudra more than once! Yunnan black teas own some real estate in my heart for the reason elucidated in this tea. Made from the precious first buds of the season. The tea broth is soupy, syrupy, pure, and sweet due to the caliber of material, with those alluring, characteristically Yunnan chocolate, malt and light floral notes. Like a dessert in a cup! A perfect tea to start your beautiful day, or mend the ones that hurt. Like most Yunnan black teas, this one will age nicely for the next 2-3 years. First Flush Spring
An expertly crafted black tea from the Simao region of Yunnan, China made with an indigenous varietal, Camellia sinensis var. Taliensis. The dry leaf presents a characteristic sweet peach and apricot scent which translates to the cup along with notes of malt and gardenia. The soup is thick and juicy, full of natural sugars due to the hairy buds, and finishes with a pleasant tartness on the finish. We like to find unusual teas to offer our customers and this is sure to delight! like many Yunnan teas, it can be enjoyed with some age. Yunnan, China, First Flush Spring
From the land of Yixing which produces the magical purple Zisha clay used to make gongfu pots, hails this delicious black tea, adding a special addition to our Fall 2020 lineup. The dry leaf is fine and tiwsted with some gold tips and presents a distinct raisin and red wine aroma. The soup is thick and viscous, very flavorful with layered notes of chocolate, raisin bread, and honey that lingers on the palate. I brew it Yixing pot for full effect. Jiangsu, China
This is an interesting get-it-while-you-can, experimental black tea from Anxi, Fujian, China made by an oolong tea farmer. Crafted similar to a Taiwanese black tea, but with the local Huang Jin Gui oolong cultivar lending its incredible floral, fruity and spicy aroma to the dry twisted leaf. The tea soup is where things get interesting: savory and earthy with toffee, toasted rice and an intriguing lilac note on the finish, it reminds of a cross between a darker Wuyi Yancha and Fujian oolong, full in flavor but lighter in weight. Very enjoyable, unusual creation that has come out of the World Pandemonium. I would brew at about 205 F. Fujian, China