2023 TREE SAP | black

TREE SAP is a yinzhen dianhong ("needle Yunnan red") from the Fenqing zone of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, China, pressed in summer 2023 from material harvested in spring 2023. The new-growth buds were hand-plucked from trees aged 150-300 years old (as measured by our producer), making this production "gushu", or "ancient tree". The trees are completely wild-growing in forests in Fengqing, harvested using ladders. The material, plucked at a 1 bud 0 leaf standard was processed to black tea via withering, hand-bruising, oxidation in bamboo baskets, and lastly sun-drying with no roast. The compression is middling, easy to break into with our new tea knife, and loose enough to encourage further aging.

Steep small-format to access layers of complex sugars and candied florals, or grandpa steep (pop 6-7 grams in a mug, top off and steep, drink about 1/3 of the tea (straining any floating leaf with your teeth), top off with hot water, and repeat) for a rich but never abrasive black tea experience.

VINTAGE — SPRING '23 (PRESSED IN SPRING '23)

STYLE — SUN-DRIED YINZHEN DIANHONG ("YUNNAN RED")

CULTIVAR — HEIRLOOM DA YE ("BIG LEAF")

REGION — XISHUANGBANNA, YUNNAN, CHINA

LOCALE — FENGQING

ELEVATION — 1500 METERS

PRODUCER —XIAOHUI QUAN

STEEPING PARAMETERS