Ancient Wild Tree

Yunnan is known for its aged teas and of course, as the place of origin, for its very old tea trees. At the pinnacle of teas from very old wild trees is a single pluck black tea. The trees’ origin is in the area between Lincang and Baoshan in Yunnan. The oldest trees are over 500 years old, and this grove includes about 500 trees of different heights and ages. Elevation ranges from about 500 to 600m. Some areas the elevation can go up to about 800m. There is just one harvest in spring, during the “Grain Rain” period (March 20- April 20) and the yield is limited. Typical of Yunnan teas, the plucked leaves are sun dried first, then rolled into strips, and sun dried again for 6-7 hours, to reduce moisture to about 10%. Then they are dried again by charcoal under bamboo baskets. This is repeated and is why the tea needs to settle before it is ready to ship. The slow gradual movement of heat by charcoal penetrates the leaves more evenly than heat by electrical means. Cultivar is (Chinese): Qun ti pin zhong, loosely translated, wild ancient tea tree type.  C. sinensis assamica (Yunnan large leaf)

Recommendation:

If serving this tea iced, consider using an extra 1 1/2 teaspoon of tea for every 6 – 8 ounces of water to provide more flavor. Melting ice will dilute the blend. You can also cold steep to maximize the flavor by filling a pitcher with the appropriate tepid water. Add the suggested amount of tea leaves either in a tea bag or an infuser and put the pitcher into the refrigerator for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Taste the tea and if it’s to your liking, remove the tea leaves and serve.