{"title":"map-matai","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"yunnan-dianhong-black-tea","title":"Matai pure buds","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTerraced tea plantation, single buds from Matai Town, Lincang County\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from early February to late April 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Mrs. Pu Jin Jing in her Matai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan Dianhong black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe buds were picked in Matai terraced tea plantations, in Lincang County. They were withered, rolled, oxidized and dried with hot air in Mrs. Pu's tea factory. The brewed leaves are dark brown, and the tea soup is coppery, this indicates a full oxidation. Sometimes, black tea producers shorten the oxidation time and stabilize the tea by drying it. It gives a yellow brew and red leaves. Mrs. Pu decided here to complete the oxidation and give the tea more sweetness. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has very pleasant scents, a beautiful mix of natural flowery aromas and some slight roasted notes due to the drying; the result is a spicy flavor that makes you want to drink more. Single bud teas are fragrant and sweet, they have a light mouthfeel and concentrate their power in the nose of the tea drinker. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea can be brewed up to six times in a gaiwan and performs well in a large teapot or a in glass over three infusions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eMore on the different tea grades\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eTea picking for dummies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen buds start sprouting, this is the beginning of a tea cycle. As the first bud opens into a leaf, it reveals another bud that will also open and so on. The whole stem that derives from the branch and its attached leaves is called a flush. The flush grows up to five or six leaves, if it is not picked, the complete flush is going to lose its tenderness, and the leaves become thick, and it will take a long time before a new bud sprouts. Of course, this rarely occurs in a managed garden. At some point in the growing cycle, the flush is harvested. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe good practices require that two leaves are left on the tea stem to allow photosynthesis and not put a strain on growth. Which means if the picker wants to harvest a 1 bud\/1 leaf grade, he should wait for the 1 bud\/3 leaves stage before picking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs far as high-quality tea goes, there are four main grades commonly found:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003esingle buds used to make white, green and black tea\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 bud\/1 leaf for white, green, black, oolong and more rarely pu-erh tea\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 bud\/2 leaves suits to white, green, black, oolong and pu-erh tea\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 bud\/3 leaves mainly used for black and pu-erh tea\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a rule of thumb, each superior grade takes about twice the time as the lower grade to pick. For example, a skilled tea picker in Jingmai can usually harvest 50kg of 1 bud\/3 leaves grade in a day, but he will only managed to get about 6 or 7 kg of 1 bud\/1 leaf or 3 kg of single buds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince picking high-grade tea takes such a long time, most of them come from conventional plantations in which the tea farmers have shaped picking tables on the tea trees. By pruning the tea trees, the tea farmers carve a flat surface on the top of the tea trees, just like a brush cut. Not only this facilitates tea picking, it also allows the tea flushes to grow at the same pace. In unpruned tea trees, it is common to find tea flushes at different growth stage and make it harder to harvest a consistent grade. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eHigh-grade old-growth tea?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe notion of tea grade is virtually inexistent when it comes to ancient tea gardens. The tea farmers wait for the end of the growth cycle before picking to harvest a maximum weight of tea leaves. This explains why pu-erh tea cakes made from ancient tea garden material generally have fewer buds and older leaves than the ones made from natural tea gardens or plantations. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA claim of ancient tea garden material associated with a high grade should surely make you raise an eyebrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eHigh or low grades, does it make a difference?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA high tea grade translates into somewhat more refined fragrances and a lighter mouthfeel. Thick tea soup and bitterness is the privileged of lower grade teas. Their aspect is considered more appealing by most tea drinkers, which makes them perfect for Instagram pictures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLow-grade teas can usually be brewed more times than high grade. You will rarely get more than 4 infusions out of single bud teas while you will easily enjoy a low-grade old-growth Pu-erh tea over a dozen steepings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a tea lover, you shouldn't mistake tea grade and tea quality. A high-grade tea is clearly more expensive to produce, but the difference in taste and quality is a matter of personal preference. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pu Jin Jing","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":21962910727,"sku":"马台 金牙 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":21962910855,"sku":"马台 金牙  20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/matai_golden_tips_2_ffa6362b-4828-4fb2-ad82-5c820ca14d5e.jpg?v=1478727885"},{"product_id":"matai-dianhong-yunnan-black-tea","title":"Spring 2017 Matai Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbove 50-year-old natural tea gardens, 1 bud\/3 leaves from Matai Xiang, Lincang county\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in late April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Mrs. Pu Jin Jing in her Matai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYunnan black tea is famous across the world; the Assamica varietal used makes it very different from the other Chinese black teas. It offers both fragrance and good mouthfeel. Here is an example of what Yunnan tea leaves become when put into expert's hands. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMrs. Pu Jin Jing runs a small tea factory in Lincang County, in the Western part of Yunnan province. Her village is Matai, it's not a very famous area, but it is certainly a hidden jewel, overshadowed by the more heavily branded Fengqing black teas. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has all the charm it takes to make your mind wander across the tea mountains of Yunnan. The tea gardens of Mrs. Pu are located at a high altitude (1400m to 1600m) and were established over half a century ago, in the hills above the village. They are managed in an extensive way, the density of plantation is low, which allows the tea trees to grow a large root network and reduces the need for fertilization. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe visited Mrs. Pu in 2013; she is genuinely passionate about tea and her dedication can be felt in the cup. We have offered her black tea since 2012 and the quality has always enchanted us. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis black tea has both complex fragrance and thick mouthfeel, which is quite hard to achieve and results in the mastery of the rolling and oxidation processes. It takes a long time to learn the art of black tea-making and Mrs. Pu has been an expert for years. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore details on black tea processing:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Yunnan black tea, also called Dian Hong, is made in four steps: withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. Each step will have an influence on the final taste of the black tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe purpose of withering is to soften the leaves. For Yunnan black tea, it usually takes 24 hours, but it depends on temperature and the thickness of the fresh tea leaves layer. The fragrance of the withering leaves changes as they soften, when the tea is ready, the aroma reminds of Yunnan Moonlight White.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eOn the next step, the real work begins\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the leaves are soft enough, they are put into a rolling machine: a rotating cylinder with several edges on the bottom plate. In this machine, the leaves are turned upside down and crushed with moderate strength. In the case of black tea, the purpose is to break the cell walls to release the tea juices. Those juices are rich in polyphenols: the molecules responsible for the fragrance and mouthfeel of tea. Once they are released, a reaction happens with oxygen, and the tea leaves will turn red. A long rolling is required to ensure that enough water is extracted from the leaves and that enough cells have released their content. The rolling process takes between one and two hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter having been rolled, the leaves look like more like finished tea, but they are still green. Polyphenol oxidation takes several hours to complete, just like withering, the actual speed strongly depends on temperature. In the large factories, the oxidation room has a controlled temperature, but in the case of smallholder tea farmers, the oxidation time is adjusted. As time goes, the leaves will turn darker and their fragrance will change. In typical conditions, it takes around six hours to obtain the desired level of oxidation. Although it is said black teas are fully oxidized, this is not entirely accurate; some producers decide to stop oxidation early in order to get a different profile. In the cup, this translates into a yellower tea soup and red leaves instead of brown. This Matai tea is heavily oxidized. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eDrying can be achieved in two ways\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-Sun drying is made by spreading the tea leaves thinly on bamboo or cloth mats. When the sun is shining, the tea leaves take about four hours to dry. Things get complicated when the weather is cloudy; the tea doesn't dry much, and if it is left over two days, it will turn terrible and will have to be discarded. Sun-dried tea has a long shelf life, it can be kept for years and can even improve with aging, the downside is that the fragrances are not as brilliant as the second method.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-Drying leaves in a dedicated dryer is the most common method used to make Yunnan black tea; this allows running the production even during cloudy weather, which makes a big difference in Summer. In the most common dryer, the black tea leaves are laid on multiple layers in a special closet and hot air is blown through it. This allows tea to be dried in a couple of minutes, but the tea maker should control the air temperature and make sure it's not too hot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eA matter of taste \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the tea leaves are dried quickly, they will develop a toasted aroma. Within certain limits, these roasted notes can enhance the tasting profile, but too much could easily ruin the tea. This is very similar to tea roasting, the limit between enhancing and ruining a tea is easily crossed and the tea makers who take this risk literally play with fire. Mrs. Pu is surely one of them, but her black tea stays well within the boundaries of fine tea.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pu Jin Jing","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":21963198727,"sku":"马台 红茶 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":21963198855,"sku":"马台 红茶 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/black_matai_brew_0fee51c3-ba01-4b95-8f87-05f9179e7f34.jpg?v=1478727818"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-matai-black","title":"Spring 2018 Matai Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbove 50-year-old natural tea gardens, 1 bud\/3 leaves from Matai Xiang, Lincang county\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in Late March 2018\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Mrs. Pu Jin Jing in her Matai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is a classic on our website, we've worked with Mrs Pu Jin Jing since 2012 and the quality of her teas has been consistently high. She operates a small tea factory in Matai, located in Lincang area, not far from the more famous Bangdong and Xigui.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, the black matai is sweet, malty, flowery and has a good depth. It is an excellent daily Yunnan black tea, brewed gongfu style or in a mug.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":8687277834305,"sku":"18年 春 马台红茶 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":8687533981761,"sku":"18年 春 马台红茶 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/matai_1.jpg?v=1525801890"}],"url":"https:\/\/farmerleaf.com\/collections\/map-matai.oembed","provider":"Farmerleaf","version":"1.0","type":"link"}