Sanyangfeng Rougui 2021 – Zhengyan
150.00€
Tea – Yancha Wulong
Harvest – Spring 2021
Origin – San Yang Feng, Zhengyan
An exceptional Zhengyan Rougui with a very limited production and availability, compared to regular growing conditions, the yield of these plants for the area is extremely low and therefore has a pretty steep price. I think however drinking this tea reflects this concentration of flavor.
This tea is a powerful and intense experience filled with complex flavors and aromatics. It is rare to find a tea with such strength in every aspect. The clear expression of the cultivar and terroir are highlighted by the excellent processing and the deep charcoal roasting balances even further the tea that manages to be both extremely aromatic and extremely flavorful. A tea that commands attention for many steeps.
We suggest this to our long term customers and experienced drinkers, as usual we strongly recommend to save a cup from the very first infusion/rinse aside to drink as last at room temperature.
Price is for 50 g.
This goes to eleven
Dongpian Huangguanyin 2023
11.50€
Tea – Yancha Wulong
Harvest – Autumn 2023
Origin – Xingcun, Wuyishan
Huangguanyin is a cultivar that is gaining many fans every year mainly thanks to its nice aromatics. Some describe it as having also a sweet milky aroma.
Dongpian literally meaning “winter leaves” is a name that designates the tea picked in the autumn/winter season.
Huangguanyin Dongpian 2023 is a bright and light tea. Dongpian tea doesn’t have the depth and body of spring picked tea but it has plenty of fruity, almost citrusy fragrance and a much lower price. A playful tea that expresses well the cultivar character and flavors naturally present in the tea leaves.
The tea is well processed in the “fragrance” style of lighter roasting. Refreshing and light to drink, with bright aromatics and a slight astringency in the later steeps. A bright day of spring in a cup.
Price is for 50 g.
Tiger Style Rougui 2019 – Zhengyan
55.00€
Tea – Yancha Wulong
Harvest – Spring 2018
Origin – Bai Yun Si, Zhengyan
This Rougui comes from the Zhengyan protected area of Wuyishan. Due to the impervious nature and small size of this area, the tea produced here is not a large amount. Zhengyan tea, especially Zhengyan Rougui, is highly prized because this terroir can give tea a special flavor called Yan Yun, a name that can be translated as the melody of the cliffs.
Tiger Style Rougui 2019 has a bright Yanyun and an intense, complex flavor with a sweet aftertaste and smooth but rich body. Everything that Zhengyan tea should be. We do not recommended this tea to inexperienced Yancha drinkers who are not familiar with the flavor of Rougui.
As usual we recommend to save a cup from the very first infusion/rinse aside to drink as last at room temperature. This will make the Yanyun flavor most clear and end the session on a high note.
Price is for 50 g.
Lazy Cat tea ain’t nuthin’ to f–k wit
Lucky Ducky Gaiwan
39.00€
This glazed ceramic gaiwan was hand-made and hand-painted in Jingdezhen in the typical blue and white “qinghua” style. Matching cups are available separately.
Be careful about this piece if you are not used to brew tea in gaiwan, due to its shape it can turn a bit hot and is hard to handle at the rim. We suggest instead to hold this gaiwan by “pinching” it top and bottom without touching the rim.
Did you know that often ducks are raised on rice fields? Ducks enjoy the water and would be natural pesticides protecting the plants and provide extra nutrition such as eggs!
This gaiwan holds around 95ml
Yanxun Xiaozhong 2018 (Smoked)
17.50€
Tea – Smoked Black Tea
Harvest – Spring 2018
Origin – Tongmuguan, Wuyishan
This tea was produced in Tongmuguan, a Unesco world heritage protected area where tea trees grow semi-wild in a pristine environment. Unlike most areas of Wuyishan that are at relatively low elevation, Tongmu is situated at a much higher altitude and access there is restricted.
The traditional production method is quite unique among other black teas because of the use of smoke. In a building the leaves are placed on the upper floor while on the ground floor pine wood is burned. This process dries the leaves giving the tea a characteristic smoked flavor and is still carried out today by a very few farmers making it somehow hard to find.
This tea has a smoked flavor that has already settled quite a bit after a few years of aging making it lighter and balanced with the tea sweetness. The leaves are broken as it is characteristic of more common productions since this was not considered a fancy tea. The smoked flavor is quite interesting but it divides tea drinkers between those who love or hate it making Xiao Zhong one of the most unique black teas to try.
Price is for 50 g.