{"title":"Tea archives","description":"Here is the teas that we have sold in the past on Farmerleaf. The tea descriptions are all here.","products":[{"product_id":"jingmai-gulan","title":"Spring 2016 Jingmai Gulan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Jingmai Mountain, single trees blend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from late March to mid-April 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai and William in Jingmai Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur flagship Pu-erh tea from Spring 2016 was crafted from several single tree productions. We have given this tea a green personality through a heavy kill-green process (wok-frying), it is floral and powerful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a really strong Chaqi (body-feeling) and Huigan (lingering sweetness in the throat). Interestingly, it takes some time to open up and delivers its content after the third or fourth infusion. In the mouth, it feels rather light and aerial, revealing its green personality. The tea soup is oily and coats the back of the mouth and the throat, delivering plenty of camphor freshness even an hour after the session.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fragrance of Pu-erh changes a lot as the tea ages, and we've had many different experiences with this tea. It is on the flowery side, featuring more or less obvious scents depending on leaf humidity. You can often notice a difference in the cup between sunny and rainy days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Gulan\" 古兰 means Ancient Orchid; this flower is commonly cited when describing the fragrance of Jingmai old-growth tea. We've only produced about 40kg of this tea. Single trees material is hard to source, and we only selected the best batches to make this tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the most powerful teas we've made since 2011, the year in which Yubai established her tea factory in her native village of Jingmai. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can check more detailed reviews written by tea enthusiasts on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76253-jingmai-gulan\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn more about the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai mountain:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA unique site\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJingmai is a unique tea mountain; you can hear no less than six different languages spoken among by ethnic minorities living there. A blend of Animism and Buddhism has created unique religious cultures. The area also hosts a large biodiversity spread on different altitude levels. But first and foremost, what makes the truly unique aspect of this mountain is the ancient tea gardens, the largest of their kind in the whole world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll began around 160 A.D., when a Bulang ethnic group settled in the region and discovered tea plants. Because the fertile land was limited on Jingmai mountain, they decided to plant tea in the forest. They would soon develop their own techniques and learn how to cultivate the trees, process the leaves and trade the tea. Tea was sold locally at first and became more prominent during the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea plantations of Jingmai mountain grow at an elevation comprised between 1250m and 1550m over a surface of 1870 hectares. The average age of the tea trees is 200 years old, some of them have even reached the millennia!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor their incredible history, the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai are on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The decision to accept them or not will be given in 2019. Since no tea-related site has received this status, there are big chances that it will be accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe forest, a source of ecosystem services\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea gardens look very different from common terraced tea plantations, most of them have a forest cover. The shade of the tall trees offers many ecological services to the tea garden. The shade created attracts combined with the expansive foliage of the ancient tea trees makes a comfortable habitat for natural predators such as spiders. As they weave their nets between the tea trees, a very efficient protection against pest is created, this limits the damages caused by herbivorous insects and the propagation of insect-borne diseases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tall trees have deep roots and can pump nutrients from the deeper layers of the soil. The falling leaves transport those nutrients in the top soil, which provides a steady source of nutrients to the tea trees. The thick litter slowly decays into humus, creating a rich dark soil which can retain water and nutrients as well as host a rich diversity of microorganisms while limiting weed growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe forest also regulates temperature, which is very useful in high altitude tea gardens because frost can easily kill tea plants. The difference in temperature is easily felt when going in and out of the tea gardens at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether the shade provided limits photosynthesis is debated. First, the primary limiting factor for leaf growth is water availability; second, the Camellia Sinensis is a so-called shadow plant. It grows naturally in the borders of thick forests; therefore, its leaves have been designed through natural selection to make the best out of the limited sunlight available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome researchers even found better yields when tea is cultivated under shade. When water is scarce and the temperature is too high, most of the plants stop photosynthesis to avoid wasting water on evaporation. As they close their stoma (tiny gates present on the surface of the leaves), they cannot uptake carbon dioxide and kind of suffocate by a phenomenon called photorespiration. This leads to greatly impaired yield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor all these reasons, maintaining the forest cover is critical in low-input tea gardens. Nowadays, many plantations managers plant dedicated shade trees in their gardens to benefit from those natural services. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTea garden management\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea gardens of Jingmai are harvested from April to October. The old tea trees have a long dormancy period of almost five months, compared to only two months for conventional Yunnan tea plantations. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea trees also have a longer cycle between each flush. They can be harvested five to seven times a year, while conventional plantations typically harvest three times a month. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the ancient tea trees can be over five meters tall, the tea pickers have to climb them to reach the tea leaves. This means the harvest is four to five times as slow as in a conventional tea plantation in which the tea trees have a beautiful picking table. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest is not the only operation required to manage an ancient tea garden. Twice a year, the weeds must be cleared. In Jingmai, it was traditionally made with machetes, but nowadays, using strimmers allows a much faster clearing, without any real downside. On top of weeding, some of the trees have to be pruned in order to keep their size acceptable for picking and promoting growth. Pruning in the ancient tea gardens is much lighter than in conventional plantations. In some other tea mountains, such as Yiwu, the ancient tea trees have their top crown pruned into a picking table, which facilitates the harvest, but, according to some tea experts, do have an impact on quality. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eHow about the leaves?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Jingmai, the fresh leaves grown in the ancient tea gardens can be relatively easily distinguished from the natural tea garden leaves by their soft texture and dark-green color. They also have a smaller size, because the tea trees most commonly found in the ancient tea gardens belong to the small-medium leaf Assamica varietal; most of the tea gardens in Yunnan grow the big leaf varietal. However, this difference in size is not obvious to the untrained eye. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai mountain are famous for giving aromatic leaves, with a particular orchid aroma. The tea soup has an oily feeling in the mouth and gives way to an intense freshness felt in the throat. What gives those characteristics is still a secret of Nature and makes all the magic of tea. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":21867300487,"sku":"16年春 景迈古兰 357克茶饼","price":268.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":21963848967,"sku":"16年春 景迈古兰 20克样品","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/gulan_b61b2734-0ac7-4d32-bcfb-542efbe46cdf.jpg?v=1478726978"},{"product_id":"jingmai-miyun","title":"Jingmai Miyun","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves one bud\/two leaves from Jingmai plateau\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from early March to mid-April 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiyun is our classic Jingmai tea cake. This year, we took particular care in selecting fresh tea leaves from specific natural tea gardens on Jingmai Mountain. “Forested, high altitude, low-density plantation and high biodiversity” were among our criteria for sourcing suitable raw material. On top of this careful selection, we fried each batch by hand, in the woks of our tea factory, instead of using kill-green machines which accelerate significantly the processing, but allow less control over tea quality. This year, we’re happy to say that these extra efforts paid off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Miyun has superior complexity and depth than what we made in the previous years. It is a high-powered, vivid and crunchy tea that bites your mouth with its fragrance, and then appeases you while gently flowing down your throat. The lingering freshness can be felt long after you left the tea table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiyun is a dynamic introduction to what Jingmai Mountain can offer, and you will certainly want more of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore on Pu-erh tea processing:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our Jingmai tea factory we use traditional methods to make Pu-erh tea. It comes with four steps: withering-wok-frying-rolling-sun-drying\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter picking, the leaves are spread on bamboo mats for a couple of hours. The purpose of withering is to make the leaves easier to cook during the next step. When picked, the leaves are turgescent; they are swollen with water, and their surface is somewhat rough. After a couple of hours, they will soften and become more flexible. Withering also has a limited impact on the redness of tea: a long withering time will have more fruity aromas and will deliver a redder tea soup. Withering time should last between four and six hours. We collect the fresh tea leaves from the picker during their lunch break and when they come back. In the evening, we process the leaves collected at noon first, the leaves gathered in the late afternoon are processed later in the evening. Some farmers let the fresh leaves wither for a whole night and process them in the morning. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea leaves are then fried in a wok. Nowadays, most of the tea factories in Jingmai use a machine, but we believe we still get better results by frying them in a wok, it offers more control but requires more mastery; this is somewhat like the manual and automatic mode of your camera. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do we fry the tea leaves?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis step is called Sha Qing, often translated as \"kill-green\" process. The purpose of heating the leaves is to destroy most of the enzymes present naturally in the tea leaves. These enzymes are responsible for oxidation. If we don't neutralize them, the tea is going to turn red.This process is used in Pu-erh tea, green tea, and oolong tea making. This is the most important step in Pu-erh tea processing. Unlike green tea, the pu-erh tea kill-green process is incomplete, not all of the enzymes are neutralized, this is why Pu-erh tea can age while green tea deteriorates, this is the main difference between the two tea families. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn order to stop most but not all of the enzyme activity, the wok temperature must not be too high. This operation takes more time when making Pu-erh tea than when making green tea. In our factory, a typical kill-green session takes between 15 and 20 minutes per batch. Some other tea makers prefer to use a longer time: up to 40 minutes!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe like to use shorter times and heavier temperature, this gives flowery Pu-erh teas and it seems to enhance the mouthfeel too. Still, it is important not to overheat the leaves; that would lead to poorly aging Pu-erh teas. This year, we decided to make this tea on the greener side, yet without crossing the limits. Playing with fire again...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our tea factory, we control temperature by using our senses: by feeling the heat through our gloves, by listening to the crackling of the frying leaves on the hot wok. Traditional tea processing puts your senses to the test, you have to look, listen, smell and touch the leaves to evaluate them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow it's done\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe could distinguish three steps during a frying session. First, when put into the wok, the fresh leaves are bulky, and their surface is dry, that's when you have to move them around quite fast, a second of inattention would lead to many leaves burning. During this first step, the leaves are gradually shrinking, their water content is released on the surface, which gives them a moist touch. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, the goal is to help the released water evaporate by moving the leaves around. This step is less stressful for the tea maker because the leaves are much less at risk of burning than during the beginning of the kill-green process. Here, the goal is to let the water evaporate while heating the leaves. One technique is to make a ball out of your batch and turn it slowly to let it heat up. Once every five to ten seconds, the leaves are opened up to let the water evaporate. This is our technique, but each tea maker has his own style. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final step is what \u003cspan style=\"background-color: #f5f6f5;\"\u003egenerally \u003c\/span\u003emakes the difference between an average and a great batch, just like the last minute when cooking spaghettis. We lower the wok temperature by taking a log out of the stove and gently turn the leaves in the slowly cooling wok. Managing the wok heat at this point will determine another characteristic of our Pu-erh tea. As the leaves are cooking, they turn more and more yellow. This brings in different fragrances and sweetens the tea. If the tea cooks for too long, its flavors might end up being losing its scent and have what we call a \"stuffy taste\". Letting the leaves cook a little bit can enhance the flavor, it all comes down to the style you want to give you Pu-erh tea. This year, we preferred not to push too much on this side and keep our Pu-erh tea on the green side. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the end of the kill-green session, the tea leaves are again at risk of being burned. As their water content decrease, they can heat up too much and get slightly roasted. This profile can be made voluntarily in some Pu-erh teas, again, it's a style that some tea drinkers might like, but overcooking Pu-erh tea inevitably compromises its ability to age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe process is not finished yet...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the leaves have been fried, they are taken out of the wok into a bamboo basket. At this point it's important to let the leaves cool down quickly; otherwise, it might lead to a muddy tea soup. Since the leaves are still very hot, moving them around helps the water evaporate. The leaves shouldn't be too moist for the next step. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRolling is crucial in crafting the pungency of Pu-erh tea. As a reminder, polyphenols make the taste and mouthfeel of tea. By frying the leaves, we just destroyed the enzymes that would oxidize polyphenols. Now, it's time to extract those fine molecules from the leaf cells so that they can please your nose when you are brewing tea. We do that by rolling the tea in a dedicated machine. The pressure applied on the leaves must be controlled. Too much pressure will lead to crushed leaves with an unappealing aspect and a very astringent brew. Not enough pressure would make the tea too bland, especially in the first infusions. Rolling takes about ten minutes. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the tea leaves are spread on bamboo mats, and we can call it a night. In the early morning, we take them to our drying area: large surfaces preferably covered by a roof to save our production from an unexpected rain. The leaves must be spread thinly and will dry out in a couple of hours. The drying area is often the limiting factor for the daily output of a tea factory. What's the point in having a large tea factory with fancy machines if you don't have enough room to dry tea?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurrently, our tea factory can make a maximum of 20kg of dry Pu-erh tea per day. Wok frying takes much more time than machine frying, but we think it's worth it, the result is in the cup.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":21964228487,"sku":"16年春 景迈蜜韵 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":21964279495,"sku":"16年春 景迈蜜韵 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_miyun_2bd43516-2934-46b9-bd28-08ef7ddf7acd.jpg?v=1478727049"},{"product_id":"nanzuo-lao-shengtai","title":"Nanzuo Lao Shengtai","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e50-year-old natural tea gardens one bud\/two leaves from Nanzuo village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from early March to early April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by hand in Mr. and Mrs. Zhang’s tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMrs. Zhang selected the oldest natural tea gardens of her village to make this tea. She processed it with her husband in her tea factory in Nanzuo village. Located 10km away from Jingmai main village, this village enjoys unique climatic conditions, distinct from the rest of Jingmai Mountain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a different raw material and processing technique, this tea is an interesting sibling of our Jingmai Miyun. While coming from the same mountain, it features different aromas and has a more feminine profile. Delivering less bitterness and astringency, it flows like oil in the mouth, offering its flowery fragrance in the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cake has a graceful harmony; it contains a bit of everything we like to find in a pu-erh tea and hence makes a good introduction to this family of teas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Read more reviews written by customers on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76360-nanzuo-lao-shengtai\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eMore on the natural tea gardens of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eBeginnings as intensive tea plantations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJingmai Mountain is famous for its vast ancient tea gardens. Yet, two-thirds of the cultivated surface is occupied by younger plantations called natural tea gardens. The first plantations of this kind were planted in the 1970s around Jingmai. During this era, increasing production was the main objective; the tea had to be cheap in order to be affordable for the masses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time, these new plantations were seen as an improvement over the ancient tea gardens. They were fertilized chemically, protected from insects and disease by pesticides; weed was controlled by herbicide and picking tea was faster than ever thanks to the well-pruned picking tables on top of the tea trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt that time, Pu-erh tea was not seen as an exceptional product. It was a tea for every day, blended and pressed in a handful of county-scale factories; only a couple of different cakes were available each year. Therefore, the logic behind the implantation of these gardens in Jingmai was clear: upgrade the tea garden management techniques, taking advantage of Jingmai’s high altitude and necessary skill of the locals regarding tea farming and processing. The Green Revolution was on its way in Jingmai.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea made in the plantations of Jingmai was especially fragrant and praised by the large tea factories of Menghai and Lancang. At that time, many tea plantations thrived in Yunnan; it was supported by the slow price increase and the rise in general domestic consumption. From 2003 to 2007, the Pu-erh boom lead to an increase in tea plantation surface, every mountain wanted to make more tea, more and more tea businesspeople would drive directly to the mountains and wanted their ton of the famous Pu-erh tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2007, the market crashed, and the tea world understood this growth was just a brief episode in the broader history of Pu-erh tea. The price of old-growth tea continued to rise over the years because surface can’t be extended. The Pu-erh tea production in Yunnan had increased several-fold compared to what it was ten years before. Despite the rise in demand, the tea price wouldn’t increase; competition was too fierce in the low-end market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eA new hope...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt that time, the local government decided to convert the conventional tea plantations of Jingmai Mountain into so-called “natural tea gardens”, or Shengtai Cha Yuan in Chinese. The project would lead to a decrease in the use of fertilizer and pesticide, a reduction of the plantation density by cutting 4 out of 5 tea trees and the establishment of shade trees in the tea gardens. This project officially started in 2010 and went quite successfullly. Through local monitoring and financial incentives, the locals changed their techniques, and there has been a dramatic decrease in the use of pesticides since then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe natural tea gardens of Jingmai Mountain are not organic. The tea farmers may spray herbicide, usually when they don’t have time to clear the weeds mechanically; spraying insecticide or fungicide, however, is subject to local government approval and would be done collectively. To our knowledge pest and disease outbreaks are rare nowadays, why is it so?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe decision of cutting 80% of the tea trees in the tea plantations may sound crazy; yet, the purpose was to allow space between each tree. In a conventional tea plantation, the trees are so close that the picking tables form a carpet. This makes the whole tea garden much more vulnerable to pest and disease spread, and this is why such gardens most often need a chemical protection. In the natural tea gardens of Jingmai, the space between each tea tree creates a buffer that slows down the spread of insects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoreover, the implantation of shade trees along with the absence of insecticide creates a favorable habitat for spiders. These natural predators offer a further protection against pest and disease in the tea gardens. As the shade trees grow, they offer more ecological services: they limit sunlight, regulate temperature, reduce weed presence, provide firewood for cooking and tea processing, bring in organic matter, pump nutrients in the deeper layers of the soil and provide more comfortable conditions for the tea pickers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the limitations on fertilizing, only once every two years, limit growth and increase quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eA good decision?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe impact on yield has been severe, but the trade-off was largely worth it in the current context. Low-quality tea doesn’t sell well; Jingmai pursues an image of excellence, and the quality of the young tea garden leaves has increased since the new policy was implemented. Since 2010, the price of the fresh leaves has quadrupled, and Jingmai has no problems selling its tea production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":21867672647,"sku":"16年春 南座老生态 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_nanzuo_shengtai.jpg?v=1510245695"},{"product_id":"nanzuo-single-trees","title":"Nanzuo Single Trees","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHundred-years-old tea tree one bud\/three leaves from Nanzuo village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from late March to mid-April 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by hand in Mr. and Mrs. Zhang’s tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2016, we decided to give more punch to our homemade Jingmai teas. But by doing this, we would left aside some traits of Jingmai tea, and this is a pity considering what this mountain can offer to the tea enthusiast. This is why we sought help, and we found it in Nanzuo, a hamlet bordering Jingmai Mountain. Mr. and Mrs. Zhang helped us craft teas with a different personality from ours; their tea factory is full of charm.\u003c\/p\u003e\nNanzuo feels like a western movie town; it’s windy, dry and suspiciously quiet. But unlike the far west, they have no guns but a bunch of tea trees instead. Their tea gardens are not as extensive as in Jingmai village, but they do have a couple of ancient tea trees scattered around the sloppy hills. Mrs. Zhang owns about thirty of these hundred-year-old tea trees; own we got the chance to collaborate with her this year and release these pu-erh tea cakes.\n\u003cp\u003eOur Nanzuo single trees pu-erh tea is made in a traditional way: withered on bamboo mattresses and processed in a wok with a lower temperature than we used for our jingmai-produced cakes. The brew renders a yellow soup that marks the prelude of a symphony well-known to the tea aficionado. This tea guarantees you a smooth and energizing session that will last as long as you wish. Plenty of sweetness builds up on the back of your mouth, and the fine fragrance of this tea is noticeably different from our Jingmai tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead and write more about this tea on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76349-2016-nanzuo-single-trees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eMore on huigan and the psychotropic effects of a good tea:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the West, the tea enthusiasts focus mainly on the fragrance of tea. However, for the avid Pu-erh tea drinkers, the pleasure of a fine cup lies in other dimensions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHuigan is probably the most trait sought-after in high-quality Pu-erh tea. This Chinese word refers to the freshness that gradually seizes the back of the mouth and the throat during a tea session; it can remind you of a mix between camphor and chicken soup. A good Huigan is easily perceived when breathing in, feeling air going through your throat, loaded with tea scents; it makes you feel like your breathing channels are opened wider than usual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHuigan most often comes in the middle of the session. Sometimes, an old-growth Pu-erh tea can seem disappointing in the early session, only to make you high in the end. Old-growth tea tends to take more time to reveal its power than plantation tea; you will only start to feel its power in the 4th or 5th brew. Huigan can last for a long time, sometimes hours after the tea sessions. It can go deep, down to the middle of the throat, or stay only in the back of the mouth. The depth of Huigan is an indicator of quality for many tea drinkers. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eNow comes the interesting part...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood tea will not leave your body indifferent. The body reaction varies a lot depending on the individual and the time of day. I find the most pungent effects occur on an empty stomach, and that's why I love to drink tea in the morning. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn excellent tea should make you feel both relaxed and energized. It can help many people focus better or have creative ideas. I notice my guests tend to be more talkative after a good tea. The body feeling is like an internal massage; you can feel your blood vessels expanding. I love to drink tea when performing mental tasks; it seems to me drinking good tea helps think better. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you drink too much tea, you might end up \"tea drunk,\" which is a mildly unsettling feeling, quite hard to describe. I recommend you eat something, and the symptoms should subside soon. When you invite friends for a tea session, it's always a good idea to have snacks on hand: nuts and dried fruits are an excellent choice.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scientific community has not much studied the detailed effects of tea on the body, and many people don't feel anything special when drinking tea. This is why the Chinese term Cha Qi is so controversial; some conspiracy theorists see in it the advent of a mighty tea sect. More rational people would argue that Cha Qi designates the different feelings, noticed during and after a tea session, caused by the cocktail of psychoactive molecules present in tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaffeine is the primary active stimulant in tea, but there are actually dozens of other compounds, present in varying quantities, that add up and offer the tea drinkers a special experience. Theobromine is suspected to improve mood, it is present in large quantity in chocolate and can be found in tea too. Traces of Theophylline can also be found; it is known to improve breathing by relaxing the airway muscles temporarily. Finally, L-Theanine, which is present in significant quantities in tea, is supposed to give a relaxing effect and is also responsible for the umami taste in tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are probably many more psychoactive molecules in tea, and the feeling provided by tea is the interaction of this molecule cocktail with your body. The best way to know about it is to try it yourself!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":29568835649601,"sku":"16年春 南座单株 357克茶饼","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_nanzuo_single_trees.jpg?v=1510245690"},{"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":"jingmai-beauty","title":"Jingmai Beauty","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from June to August 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in Jingmai by Ye Jing Yu\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Oolong tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA beautiful tea made in Jingmai. The processing is similar to taiwanese oriental beauty but the leaves are rolled like a bi luo chun. Summer ancient tea garden material was used to make this tea. This is a heavily oxidized Oolong similar to oriental beauty, though the rolling process used is different and turns the tea leaves into little balls, similar to Bi Luo Chun green tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a very special tea that has a history of its own on Jingmai mountain:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditionnally, Pu-erh tea was the main focus on Jingmai mountain, it was a simple tea that didn't require specific machinery to be made. Then came black tea, which required some degree of expertise and rolling machines. As time goes, the different ways of processing tea spread across the tea mountains. The knowledge from this one comes from the sleeping beauty: Taiwan. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 90's, a group of Taiwanese tea makers opened a tea factory on Jingmai mountain: the 101 tea factory. They would produce Taiwanese style tea and take advantage of the good raw material available on this tea mountain. They employed locals to help them in the factory, business was really good. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut soon, those who worked in the tea factory would leave their job and imitate the processings they had learn to make taiwanese-style tea on their own. This is how this technology spreads in the villages of Jingmai mountain. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e You can read and write reviews of this tea on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76128-jingmai-beauty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ye Jing Yu Tea Factory","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":30675486474,"sku":"景迈美人 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":30675602954,"sku":"景迈美人 100克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_beauty_a7795051-bf74-4c6a-9182-d639d3ecb000.jpg?v=1478726797"},{"product_id":"jingmai-moonlight-white","title":"Jingmai Moonlight White","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea gardens one bud\/two leaves  from Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in October 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShade-dried on bamboo mats for three days in our Jingmai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan white tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eThis tea is for the wise and patient people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, it takes more than three days to make it. During that time, the tea maker does nothing, but yet, nothing is left undone. The moonlight white tea maker is a Taoist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fine grade is required, here, one bud\/one leaf material from the natural tea gardens of Jingmai. After picking, they are laid in a scattered way on flat bamboo baskets and left in the shades. The slow process of withering changes the aspect of the leaves, they oxidize partially before drying out. The lack of moisture stops the reddening of the leaves. To make sure it's really dry when we gather it, we offer the leaves a brief sunbath, half an hour at most. The final result is a mix of silvery buds and very dark leaves. This is the first reason why this tea is not one to be made hastily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second reason is related to the rolling process, or rather its lack of rolling. This step is used in most of the teas to bring the tea juices and their flavors out of the leaves; it also gives a particular shape to the leaves: ball-shaped for many oolongs or wrinkled for pu-erh loose leaves and black teas. Since this tea is not rolled, it tends to keep its original shape and is therefore quite bulky. More importantly, its flavors are still inside the leaf cells, and they need time to be extracted. The tea drinker should be patient when brewing moonlight white.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGive it over a minute of brewing, and you will find in your cup beautiful fragrance, actually very close to the ones we can smell in the tea factory when the fresh leaves have withered. This is what should literally be called a tea fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoonlight White tea is just impossible to over-brew, you will hardly get any bitterness from it unless you asked for it. It always delivers a very fine brew, filled with complex aromas and a soft aftertaste. It is the one you want when you feel overwhelmed by life. It won't energize you like Pu-erh tea but can surely bring peace to your mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eJust remember: be wise and patient, be a Taoist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":30675897290,"sku":"景迈月光白 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":30675897226,"sku":"景迈月光白 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/yue_guang_bai_ed2517ac-13bb-48fe-a34c-f9ac1becbece.jpg?v=1478727141"},{"product_id":"jingmai-dianhong-black-tea","title":"Autumn 2017 Dianhong Jingmai Black Tea","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens of Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in September 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in Jingmai by Ye Jing Yu\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf light roast black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA lot of black tea is made on Jingmai mountain. There are two main types: sun-dried and oven-dried. This one belongs to the second category and could be considered the ambassador of it. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSun-dried black tea can age several years and somewhat improve as time goes by, however, just like Pu-erh tea, its fragrance is somewhat smothered; its power is not fully unleashed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOven-dried teas, on the opposite, are not made for long term storage, they are best enjoyed within a year or two. In the months that follow their production, they give you a kind of bite on the tongue that makes you want more; you end up drinking cups after cups and hardly get bored. They are easy-drinkers and can be enjoyed by any tea enthusiast: even the hardcore pu-erh tea addicts would find it entertaining.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis black tea was dried at a relatively high temperature, which gives it a lightly roasted feeling: the taste of fire a.k.a. Huo Wei 火味. It was made from standard grade natural tea garden material from Jingmai mountain and treated well in the expert hands of a Dai lady named Ye Jing Yu and her team. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a very brewable tea that delivers a harmonious mix of flowery and toasted fragrances, without one taking other the other. The quality of Jingmai natural tea garden leaves is proved again in the mouth: this tea features a very present mouthfeel and delivers a lingering fresh feeling after a few cups. It performs well both in Gong Fu style and in a mug.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore on tea oxidation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the books, you will read that black tea is fully oxidized. In the tea factories of Yunnan, this is different.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYunnan black tea, also known as Dianhong 滇红, is made in a range of oxidation degrees this is why when you brew them, you can obtain noticeably different colors, from yellow to dark red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack tea is considered fully fermented because no particular process is designed to stop oxidation. In other words, unlike green, pu-erh and oolong tea no kill-green process is done when processing black tea. The goal of kill-green process is to destroy enzymes, let's talk about them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eEnzymes?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a reminder, an enzyme is a large molecule that helps make a chemical reaction happen. Without the enzyme, this chemical reaction would take forever. Enzymes are the matchmakers of chemistry, without them, many molecules would not form. They are everywhere in nature; they allow plants to fix carbon from the atmosphere, help humans digest food, and are even responsible for the beautiful colors of an autumnal landscape. The enzymes that make oxidation possible are nicknamed PPO, which stands for polyphenol oxidase. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of their size and complex structure, the enzymes are rather easily broken down by heat.; this is the most straightforward method employed to stop their activity in tea, but there's another way...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's possible to only stop their activity temporarily instead of destroying them forever; and we can do this by drying the tea. Indeed, enzymatic activity depends on water content, if it drops below a certain point, the oxidation process will be extremely slowed down. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eBack to the tea factory with black and white\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is possible to prevent full oxidation for some time in black tea, simply by drying it. Complete oxidation will eventually occur over the years. Doing this requires a strong drying, only achievable with a hot air dryer. Sun-dried black teas tend to fully oxidize anyway because their water content can hardly be lowered enough by sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSemi-oxidized black teas are common in Yunnan, we don't call them oolong tea because their oxidation is not stopped indefinitely, only slowed down. Technically, could we call them post-fermented black tea? These teas feature a golden yellow soup and a thinner mouthfeel than fully oxidized black teas. Their fragrance pool is different, and they can be more aggressive, offering some bitterness to the tea drinker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhite tea is another example of stopping oxidation simply by drying. You will notice there is a significant difference of oxidation between young and old white tea. If you come across a white tea with apparently little oxidation, it means it has probably been dried in a machine. Such process is common in Yunnan. Some white teas can even be mistaken for green teas when they are very young. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we make Moonlight White tea in our Jingmai tea factory, we complement the 3-day shade-drying process by leaving the leaves under the sun for about half an hour;  this allows further reduction of water content and will slow down oxidation a little bit, offering greener tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eExperience tea oxidation at home\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e You can see the effect of tea oxidation at home. Brew a white tea and you will notice the leaves change color over the hours; this is just because by hydrating the leaves, you just reactivated the enzymes. To a lesser extent, you can also see this happen with Pu-erh tea since the kill-green process is performed with low temperatures and only partially destroys the enzymes. You can see both the tea soup and the wet leaves turn red; it might take more time than for white tea though. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ye Jing Yu Tea Factory","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":30676186826,"sku":"景迈红茶 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":30676186890,"sku":"景迈红茶 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_black_f7ba76b0-4552-44ab-8fd8-0dde49d7b4ca.jpg?v=1478726895"},{"product_id":"jingmai-single-trees-2014","title":"Jingmai Single Trees 2014","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHundred years old trees material from Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in early Spring 2014 \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStored in Puer City, Yunnan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai our Jingmai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea was made in early spring 2014 by Yubai. It is called single trees because the fresh leaves used were picked from very old tea trees on the main plateau of Jingmai mountain. Old tea trees material o give a richer mouthfeel, with a typical oily aspect in the mouth. Another characteristic of old-growth tea is a refreshing feeling that spreads from the back of the mouth to the throat, similar to mint or camphor; this is called Huigan in Chinese. The depth and strength of Huigan is an important criterion to consider when appreciating the quality of Pu-erh tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are thousands of very old tea trees on Jingmai mountain. They proved themselves tough enough to stand the test of time, withstanding once-in-a-century harsh frosts and other severe weather episodes. The protection of the forest is a determining factor in their survival through the ages, most of them grow under the shade of tall trees. It helps keep the temperatures stable and enhance biodiversity and nutrient recycling in the tea garden ecosystem. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSingle trees material can be hard to source. When the Spring harvest is in full swing, many tea makers want to buy the leaves. Only family relatives or good friends can give you those precious leave. In 2014, Yubai managed to produce 40kg of single tree tea and we still have a couple of cakes in our storehouse. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you might expect, this is not a tea for every day. It will please you most during a focused tea session, brewed over a dozen times in a gaiwan or an elegant Chinese teapot. You will be able to enjoy the honey fragrance of Jingmai mountain slowly built for you in the ancient tea gardens. The Huigan is long-lasting and the mouthfeel is thick. This tea is still in its young days, but signs of maturity make it different from a tea made in the year. It was stored in Puer since its pressing. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eMore on single trees tea production\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack in the 80’s, the tea makers wouldn’t even make the difference between ancient tea gardens and conventional tea plantations; they would all be in the final blends made by state factories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 2003 on, the reputation of ancient tea garden leaves has rapidly increased and it is now widely acknowledged that the hundred-year-old tea gardens grow more enjoyable leaves featuring complex fragrance and energizing mouthfeel. However, you should know that ancient tea gardens are made of both old and young tea trees. The small tea trees are most of the time picked along with the taller ones, the resulting material is a mix of tea leaves coming from a wide range of tree age. In Jingmai mountain, this tea quality is called Gu Shu, literally “ancient trees”. This is a slightly misleading term since many of the trees picked are not old, only the tea gardens in which they grow are indeed ancient. On Farmerleaf, we refer to these leaves as ancient tea gardens material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eA technical challenge for the tea makers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore recently, some tea buyers came up with more specific demands: they wanted only the bigger trees of the tea gardens to be picked. Some of them went as far as asking for one specific tree to be harvested. As you can imagine, this kind of small-scale harvest is an organizational challenge for the tea producers and fetches a higher price than usual “ancient tea gardens” quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea pickers can typically collect 5 to 13kg of fresh leaves out of a large ancient tea tree. This means a single tree production yield 1 to 3kg of dry tea in a flush. It is unlikely that such a small production will be pressed; it is most of the time shared among friends by the tea buyers or sold as loose leaf Pu-erh tea, also known as maocha.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to pressed single trees cakes, they consist of larger productions in which only the large trees of the tea gardens have been pressed, this is the most common type of single tree production. Since there are many large and ancient tea trees in Jingmai, such productions reach hundreds of kilograms of dried tea; our productions of such high-quality tea are more modest, in the range of 10 to 50 kg.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese productions made from one or several ancient tea trees is called “Dan Zhu”, which we translate on Farmerleaf by “single trees tea”. Single tree teas taste different from ancient tea garden material (a.k.a. Gushu). Because harvesting few trees reduces the genetic diversity you get in the cup, single trees harvests can have a wider variety of tasting profiles, and it’s possible that the result is totally different from what is expected from the tea mountain of origin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eThe infinite complexity of tea revealed in the single tree productions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach tea tree has a unique taste, and only the blend of thousands of trees located on different tea gardens gives a “signature taste” to a tea mountain. Jingmai is famous for its fragrance, Bulang Shan for its bitterness, and Yiwu for its thick mouthfeel. However, it’totally possible to get a bitter Yiwu single tree production and a very sweet Bulang Shan one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally speaking, single trees tea should have stronger mouth, throat and body feeling than other productions because of the age of the trees. In the case of unique tree productions, this factor is largely played out by the genetic diversity of each tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf dozens of trees are harvested, maybe the diversity of each tree will be diluted, the uniqueness of the tea garden will be put forward instead. The exposure to sun, slope, fertilization and soil conditions do have an influence on the taste of tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eIs single tree better than standard gushu?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom our experience, it seems young tea trees have less powerful mouthfeel (a.k.a. Kougan) and throat feeling (a.k.a Huigan), yet, they appear to be more fragrant and have a different kind of bitterness. Therefore, we still consider the young trees of the ancient tea gardens as good material for our productions; they bring harmony to the tea blend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCiting extremely old age when promoting a tea can be a good selling point, but we still believe the quality in the cup is what matters. We usually like our teas to have a balance between the nose, the mouth, and the body. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, we really fell in love with the profile of this Nanzuo Single Trees tea and this is why we decided to press it under our brand this year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":30676456970,"sku":"14年春 景迈单株357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":30676456906,"sku":"14年春 景迈生态 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/tea_in_a_gaiwan_667fc299-dd39-4890-a071-a043dbac6d25.jpg?v=1478727378"},{"product_id":"jingmai-gushu-2015","title":"Jingmai Ancient Gardens 2011","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea garden material from Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in early Spring 2011, stored in Puer City, Yunnan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed by Yubai, the first cake produced in her tea factory!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes in 2014\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Pu-erh tea cake has a special place in our heart. That was the first production made by Yubai in 2011, the beginning of her tea making journey. The years have passed, she has acquired experience and refined her processing skills since then. The wok temperature for frying tea leaves was too low by our current standards. Hence, the tea had a redder aspect than our more recent productions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite being unremarkable right after its production, time has made wonders on this tea. Six years of aging have gifted this tea with plenty of refinement. It is a gentle one, slowly coating the mouth and delivering a comfortable freshness. The fragrance is in its middle-age, still showing signs of its origin while displaying clear storage aromas: hints of wet autumnal forests, mushrooms and moss back by a fruity sweetness. It is an enjoyable tea for beginners because this cake is a smooth semi-aged pu-erh tea exempt of aggressiveness. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePuer city is a great place to store Pu-erh tea. Its location in the middle south of Yunnan coupled with its middle altitude (1200m) is a fine compromise between clearly wet Xishuangbanna storage and overly dry Kunming. The Pu-erh tea leaves were stored in their loose form (maocha) until 2014, at which time they were pressed into cakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will love it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead independent reviews of this tea on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76268-2011-jingmai-ancient-gardens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jing Yu Tian Xiang","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":30676608330,"sku":"11年春 景迈古树 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":30676608394,"sku":"11年春 景迈古树 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2011_jingmai_gushu_9d09f460-b24c-42de-8669-4810c53b5390.jpg?v=1478726635"},{"product_id":"jingmai-yellow-flakes","title":"Jingmai Yellow Flakes","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens yellow flakes from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from April to October 2015\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSorted out of our old-growth productions in Jingmai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStored in Puer city\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe made a lot of tea in 2015. Since we like to use a heavy kill-green process, we get a lot of yellow flakes (a.k.a. Huangpian) in our tea. They are sorted out, and we always end up with a couple of bags. Since we had them in sufficient quantities, we decided to press them into 357g cakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brew is clear and yellow. It delivers plenty of sweetness and a discrete but complex fragrance that lingers in the back of the mouth. This tea is not as robust as the usual Pu-erh tea leaves, but you can enjoy it over many infusions. You can even boil it if you want to make most of its sweetness. It will hardly give any bitterness, but if you're patient, it will reveal its hidden charms. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eWhat are yellow flakes?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown as Huangpian in Chinese, the yellow flakes are over fried leaves that have become crispy and look very different from the other tea leaves. They have a brighter color than the rest of the leaves and feel much lighter and bulky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eBack in physics class\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the wok, the leaves lose a large part of their water content. When water evaporates, the steam takes in heat, which means that as long as the tea leaves are moist, their temperature will not go too high. However, as the leaves are drying in the wok, there is not enough water to dissipate heat, which means the leaf temperature increases. If the leaf gets too hot, its cells will burst, and they will be fried like a steak on a pan. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, think a minute; the buds and young leaves have a higher water content than the older tea leaves. Which leaves are most likely to become yellow flakes?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll right, the older leaves are going to lose their water first, if the wok-frying is prolonged too much, the old leaves will become yellow flakes. If we ever continued a wok-frying session for a long time, all of the leaves would become yellow flakes. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eWhen do they appear?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen processing a standard one bud\/three leaves batch, it is impossible to avoid having yellow flakes. In Spring, there are few yellow flakes in Pu-erh tea because the leaves are very tender and do not need a prolonged wok-frying. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Summer and Autumn, the tea leaves tend to have thick stems, which means we need to cook the leaves for a longer period in order to heat up the center of the stem and stop oxidation. While the stems are only heating up, the leaves have already lost a good part of their water and are heating up seriously. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eTea processing can raise a dilemma\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere's a crucial choice for the tea maker to make. Stopping the frying as soon as yellow flakes start to appear and leaving the thick stems prone to oxidation, or pursuing a longer frying session and having to deal with mant yellow flakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, we chose the second option. Yet, you will more often find reddened Pu-erh in autumn than in Spring because many tea producers interrupt the wok-frying early and let the stems oxidize. This is the main reason why you can see red stems in your teapot. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eGet rid of them!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe yellow flakes are not necessarily detrimental to the taste of tea, they sweeten it, and as a consequence, reduce its aggressiveness; yet, they are considered unappealing by the Chinese tea consumers and are therefore sorted out.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome machines can do the job, but the sorting is not satisfying. Many \"good\" leaves are picked out and some yellow flakes remain present. Sorting is most often made by hand; this is a tedious and fastidious work than can sometimes take as much time as picking tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sorted out yellow flakes are collected and often consumed domestically, either brewed in a teapot or boiled in a kettle. They are sweet and fragrant although not as powerful and long-brewing as well-processed tea leaves. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey can also be used for fermented Pu-erh tea production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":32218740746,"sku":"15年春 景迈黄片 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32489525770,"sku":"15年春 景迈黄片 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2015_jingmai_gushu_yellow_flakes_a1b3960c-0a51-44f5-b6f5-b7a0d1881915.jpg?v=1478727750"},{"product_id":"jingmai-natural-gardens-2014","title":"Jingmai Natural Gardens 2014","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves one bud\/two leaves from Jingmai mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from early March to mid-April 2014\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai in our Jingmai tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 200g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStored in Xishuangbanna for one year and in Puer City since 2015\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese Pu-erh tea cakes were stored in the hot and humid conditions of Jinghong City, the capital of Xishuangbanna located at the extreme South of Yunnan Province. Aging Pu-erh tea there is comparable to a Guangdong storage, Pu-erh tea acquires a distinctive fragrance, and it is relatively easy to tell apart dry-stored from wet-stored cakes. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter one year of aging in the moist environment of Xishuangbanna, the cake has been transferred to our warehouse in Puer city, at a higher elevation. The climate there is slightly colder and dryer, this is a great place for aging Pu-erh tea. The cake still looks like young tea: the tea gives out a bright and clear golden soup. However, as soon as you smell it, you can notice this tea has had a special storage. The fragrance is sophisticated and very present. In the mouth, the soup behaves lightly; everything happens through the nose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a great tea for those who like fragrant tea without bitterness and astringency and also a fascinating example of what a dual environment storage can give. The aroma is unique and worthy. We made two pressings: 200g and 357g cakes, make your choice! \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"200g cake (7oz)","offer_id":32218826826,"sku":"14年春 景迈生态 200克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32489442698,"sku":"14年春 景迈生态 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_shengtai_2014_200g.jpg?v=1528794469"},{"product_id":"autumnal-plantation-2014","title":"Autumnal Plantation 2014","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves one bud\/two leaves from Jingmai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from September to October 2014\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g and 200g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStored in Puer city\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis pu-erh tea was made in autumn, this can easily be confirmed by the taste of the brew. It is a sweet and fragrance one, without bitterness or astringency. The fragrance is very pleasant, showing clear signs of aging. The mouthfeel is light and quite dry. This is a simple tea to enjoy for its fragrance, a perfect daily drinker for those of you who are shivering over young raw Pu-erh tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eMore on the tea session\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tea session is made of five elements:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.The environment\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.Tea leaves\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.Water\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4.Teaware\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5.Gongfu\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe environment is so important to a successful tea session that it is put above tea quality. For a session to go well, the drinkers should be in harmony and no hurry. The decoration should put the guests at ease. The place should be designed to help the attendees focus on tea; therefore, it should be sober and peaceful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood tea leaves should be the core of a tea session; generally, they are the reason why you’re doing it. Quality has an objective component: leaf grade, harvest, raw material quality, terroir; and a subjective one which is consists, among others, of the brand reputation, the packaging, what you heard about it and your experience with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater is to tea what sound is to music. Water is what you taste; it is the mean that convenes the pleasure of an excellent cup brings. Without good water, high-quality leaves will not release their full potential, and the tea will be smothered. We recommend using spring water with low mineral content. When brewing aged Pu-erh teas, Shu Pu-erh and black tea, a higher mineral content (200mg TDS\/l) can improve the mouthfeel at the expense of fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinely crafted teaware associates well with high-quality leaves. Using beautiful teapots and cups during your tea session will not really improve the quality of tea, but they will undoubtedly increase your enjoyment during the session. The quality of the material, the design of a teapot, the energy put into its fabrication... all this contributes to the appreciation of a fine piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the brewer himself has to put will into the session. Brewing tea is not complicated, but it requires some practice. As you acquire experience, using the right the brewing time and leaf quantity won’t be a problem for you. But there is still an element which requires consistent effort: concentration. When brewing tea in a serious tea session, try to focus more than usual on the leaves. Looking at them opening up is the key to a good brew.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":32218894794,"sku":"14年秋 景迈生态 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32489151818,"sku":"14年秋 景迈生态 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2014_autumn_jingmai_shengtai_551ad6b0-4fa0-4051-8696-f08b3a1021aa.jpg?v=1478726274"},{"product_id":"autumn-2016-jingmai-ancient-gardens","title":"Fall 2016 Jingmai Ancient","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Garden leaves from Jingmai plateau\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in October 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 100g and 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAutumn tea is always in debate. The Spring harvest is by far the most sought after. And yet, some tea enthusiasts prefer fall tea because it is sweeter, features less bitterness and astringency than spring tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFortunately, Autumn tea is not just a cheap alternative to Spring tea. This season has unique characteristics such as its fragrance. The two seasons give distinctive traits to the leaves. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a pleasant texture and is very brewable. It will give you a refreshing feeling in the mouth and throat. It is less pungent than its Spring counterpart and could be a good start for people who want a sweet old-growth tea brew.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAutumn is the end of the road, the tea trees grow fewer and fewer leaves, the latter flushes are the ones we want. We processed these leaves in Early October; it took us two weeks to get our desired quantity. We made only 40kg of this tea. Unlike in Springtime, it is hard to get fresh leaves from the ancient tea gardens in Autumn; the yields are low, and the flushing cycle is lengthened. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe gave a relatively strong kill-green process to the leaves in order to release the best of this tea. A side effect of this choice is the presence of many yellow flakes. We sorted out the largest ones, but there are still some in the cakes. They add sweetness to the tea and tone down the bitterness. The aspect of yellow flakes is not appealing to the Chinese tea drinkers; therefore many tea producers use low wok temperatures in autumn to avoid having yellow leaves. It results in reddened tea which can be more fragrant but features less throat and mouth freshness. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":32489032394,"sku":"16年秋 景迈古树 357克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"100g cake (3.5oz)","offer_id":32488818314,"sku":"16年秋 景迈古树 100克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32489032458,"sku":"16年秋 景迈古树 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2016_autumn_jingmai_gushu_357g.jpg?v=1477304618"},{"product_id":"autumn-2016-jingmai-natural-gardens","title":"Fall 2016 Jingmai Natural","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves 1 bud\/2 leaves from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked and processed in October 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in our tea factory in Jingmai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 100g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur autumn production of 2016 is very refreshing. We managed to get a steady supply of excellent one bud\/two leaves grade over two weeks. We called this tea Lawasa, which you can find stamped on the cakes with the Chinese characters 腊瓦萨; this is not Chinese but Dai dialect. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJingmai mountain is partly inhabited by the Dai minority, Yubai, the co-owner of this website, belongs to this ethnicity. The Dai people celebrate a major festival that runs from August to October. It is called the \"closed-door festival\" during which the old folks should dedicate time to their spiritual life. Every week, a celebration day is held at the temple until the \"open-door day\" which marks the end of the three-months-long festival. \"La\" means tea in the Dai language and \"Wasa\" designates the period during which the closed-door festival runs, from August to October. Hence the name \"La Wasa\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a distinctive fragrance, something you couldn't get in spring. The mouthfeel is light; some oiliness can be felt on the tongue, and the scents linger pretty well. It is a very good daily drinker and suits to those who want the fragrance of Pu-erh tea without its bitterness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead reviews of this tea on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/steepster.com\/teas\/farmerleaf\/76247-fall-2016-jingmai-natural\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eSteepster\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"100g cake (3.5oz)","offer_id":32488824138,"sku":"16年秋 景迈生态 100克茶饼","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32489093194,"sku":"16年秋 景迈生态 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2016_autumn_jingmai_shengtai_357g.jpg?v=1517974568"},{"product_id":"jingmai-sun-dried-black","title":"Jingmai Sun-Dried Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens of Nanzuo Village, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in August 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade by Chen Xiao Hua in his factory of Nanzuo Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose-leaf sun-dried Yunnan black tea \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Spring 2016, we needed to rent a truck to bring our 400kg of tea to press them in Menghai. We had seen such a truck during our last visit to Nanzuo, a remote village on Jingmai mountain. In no time, we rid our motorbike there and arrived in this windy and empty dirt street. The truck was parked in a courtyard, we entered the house and found a young guy, Chen Xiao Hua. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe accepted to take our tea to Menghai; meanwhile, we had tea at his home and started to talk about the details of processing. He told us he was trying to make good black tea in Nanzuo; something that had never been done before in this remote and conservative Wa village. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the remote villages, making Pu-erh tea is the norm because of limited demand for special tea and less advanced tea factories. Chen Xiao Hua wants to improve things; he opened the first tea cooperative of Nanzuo in September 2016, with a decent small tea factory opening up more possibilities in terms of processing. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have become friends and often visit him to try his tea. We tried several of his black tea samples and found an interesting sun-dried black tea, also called Shaihong (晒红). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are two ways to dry black tea: with hot air in a dedicated machine, or under the sun, laid on bamboo mats. Most of the black tea produced is dried with hot air because it is faster to process and adds more bite to the tea as soon as it is out of the factory. Black tea dried with hot air a make great drink-it-now; if it is dried quickly, it can even add light roasted notes, like our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.farmer-leaf.com\/products\/jingmai-dianhong-black-tea\" title=\"Jingmai oven-dried dianhong yunnan black tea\"\u003eJingmai black\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSun-dried black teas are less impressive when they're just out of the factory, but the main difference is they have more potential for aging well, just like Pu-erh tea. Their scents are totally natural, only the result of oxidation. The mouthfeel is more similar to Pu-erh tea, featuring thicker soup and some Huigan (sweet and fresh feeling in the throat). This tea will certainly please people who're looking for unadulterated fragrances and want to drink their tea on the long run. You will see it evolve over the months, and we are confident it will remain attractive for three years or more.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":32747061386,"sku":"景迈晒红 100克散茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":32694068042,"sku":"景迈晒红 20克样品","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/shaihong_3_e74af34f-d9a7-4ff1-8db8-b81ba7fd9c8e.jpg?v=1478727538"},{"product_id":"jingmai-shu","title":"2014\/2009 Jingmai Shu","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJingmai natural tea gardens and Bulang Shan plantation blend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRespectively autumn 2014 and spring 2009\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFermented separately in Menghai, stored in Puer city. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMiddle-grade fermented Pu-erh pressed into 357g cakes in 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore an entirely different world with this ripe Pu-erh tea (a.k.a. Shu Cha). As opposed to raw Pu-erh (Sheng Cha), this tea was artificially \"aged\" through a fermentation process. This results in a much darker tea soup than raw Pu-erh and can be considered as a different tea family. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is made of autumn 2014 natural tea garden material from Jingmai mountain complemented by spring 2009 leaves from Bulang Shan for more punch. We had them pressed in fall 2016.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting brew is quite aggressive, as far as ripe Pu-erh goes. Some medicinal bitterness can be felt through the session. It is not one of those fragrant and delicate ones, here, the soup is ultra thick and will coat your mouth throughout the session, just like a good old Irish stout!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an ideal tea to keep you warm during the long winter of the Northern countries. In Gongfu style, it will sustain at least twelve infusions; in a mug, you can brew it three or four times. A very robust Shu Pu-erh. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":34139684746,"sku":"09-14年景迈熟茶 357克茶饼","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_shu_wrapper.jpg?v=1529758692"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-miyun","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Miyun","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves from the top of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from mid March to mid-April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 100g and 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiyun is our classic Jingmai tea cake. In 2017, we sourced tea from different natural tea gardens located on Jingmai Mountain which all belong to our family. Most of these gardens are located on the western edge of Jingmai Plateau. They are moderately shaded and grow in sandy soils, which limits water and nutrients retention and is beneficial to tea quality. The tea gardens haven't been fertilized nor sprayed with insecticide since 2010.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kill-green process by hand in a wok, we used almost the same parameters as last year for this production. Though the final result feels a bit redder as of May 2017. The tea soup is a clear bright yellow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea has a complex vegetal and spicy fragrance that can be found both in the bottom of the cup and in the tea soup. The thickness is decent, though in no way comparable to our Jingmai Gulan. Bitterness is low, astringency is moderate. This makes a well-rounded everyday tea that has the typical features of Jingmai Mountain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41830308628,"sku":"17年 春 景迈蜜韵 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"100g cake (3.6oz)","offer_id":41830402324,"sku":"17年 春 景迈蜜韵 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41830402388,"sku":"17年 春 景迈蜜韵 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_miyun_1.jpg?v=1495619450"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-tian-xiang","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Tian Xiang","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40 to 60 year-old natural tea garden leaves from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in early April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTian Xiang is a new product we're introducing this year. The natural tea gardens of Jingmai Mountain grow under different soil and shading conditions, and the agricultural practices can also vary. We used material from older natural tea gardens which haven't been sprayed with pesticide nor fertilized for over a decade. They are located in the surroundings of Da Ping Zhang, the main plateau of Jingmai mountain on which are located the bulk of the ancient tea gardens. Some of those natural tea gardens grow under a forest cover, while others are more exposed to the sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a very powerful fragrance, somewhat reminding of lowly-oxidized oolongs. The bitterness is moderate, astringency is quite high. The tea soup is very active in the mouth and sweetness lingers after the session. This tea has somewhat more personality than the Jingmai Miyun, with the good and bad sides of it (respectively fragrance and astringency). Its robust mouthfeel makes it a good intermediate between our Miyun and Gulan produced in 2017. We wouldn't recommend this tea to beginners but rather to tea lovers who want to jazz up their Jingmai experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":41830585812,"sku":"17年 春 景迈天香 357克","price":97.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":41830585684,"sku":"17年 春 景迈天香 20克","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_tian_xiang_1.jpg?v=1517974683"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-gulan","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Gulan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Jingmai Mountain, small and big trees picked together\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from late March to mid-April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai and William in Jingmai Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bqq4u-dzTTQ\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"\u003e\n\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2017 version of Jingmai Gulan puts on emphasis on mouthfeel and long-term aging ability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, we refined our raw material selection. This year's material is not pure big trees, but we selected tea gardens according to their location and environmental features. We blended gardens growing on the main plateau of Jingmai mountain called Da Ping Zhang, with plots from the North-Western slopes. This results in more complexity, and a balance between bitterness and thick mouthfeel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe tweaked the processing parameters we used in 2016 in order to get a thicker tea soup instead of the typical young Jingmai tea fragrance. The kill-green process was, like last year, started at high temperature and finished with a low fire. However, we took the leaves out of the wok earlier than last year, this allows the leaves to heat less, and potentially preserve more enzymes for further aging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea fragrance will be less obvious in the first months following its production, but it will build up over time, as the tea ages. The mouthfeel is thick and oily, Huigan (sweetness in the throat) can be felt as early as the first or second brew and grows stronger and deeper as the session goes. Bitterness is moderate, which means strong by the Jingmai standards. This is due to particular tea gardens we selected for this pressing. The bitterness escapes through the sides of the tongue and leaves only sweetness and freshness in the mouth. Astringency is low ijn the early session and moderate after five brews, it tends to disappear quickly. This tea has a strong Cha Qi and you'll likely feel tea drunk, if you're sensitive to such a thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe encountered rain on several occasions during the early Spring season, which led the tea flushes to mature more quickly and give more yellow flakes than usual. Rain is also said to lighten the mouthfeel. While we were worried during the tea making season, we're quite happy of the final result, our more refined selection of the tea gardens paid off this year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLearn more about the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai mountain:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA unique site\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJingmai is a unique tea mountain; you can hear no less than six different languages spoken among by ethnic minorities living there. A blend of Animism and Buddhism has created unique religious cultures. The area also hosts a large biodiversity spread on different altitude levels. But first and foremost, what makes the truly unique aspect of this mountain is the ancient tea gardens, the largest of their kind in the whole world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll began around 160 A.D., when a Bulang ethnic group settled in the region and discovered tea plants. Because the fertile land was limited on Jingmai mountain, they decided to plant tea in the forest. They would soon develop their own techniques and learn how to cultivate the trees, process the leaves and trade the tea. Tea was sold locally at first and became more prominent during the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea plantations of Jingmai mountain grow at an elevation comprised between 1250m and 1550m over a surface of 1870 hectares. The average age of the tea trees is 200 years old, some of them have even reached the millennia!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor their incredible history, the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai are on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The decision to accept them or not will be given in 2019. Since no tea-related site has received this status, there are big chances that it will be accepted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe forest, a source of ecosystem services\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea gardens look very different from common terraced tea plantations, most of them have a forest cover. The shade of the tall trees offers many ecological services to the tea garden. The shade created attracts combined with the expansive foliage of the ancient tea trees makes a comfortable habitat for natural predators such as spiders. As they weave their nets between the tea trees, a very efficient protection against pest is created, this limits the damages caused by herbivorous insects and the propagation of insect-borne diseases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tall trees have deep roots and can pump nutrients from the deeper layers of the soil. The falling leaves transport those nutrients in the top soil, which provides a steady source of nutrients to the tea trees. The thick litter slowly decays into humus, creating a rich dark soil which can retain water and nutrients as well as host a rich diversity of microorganisms while limiting weed growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe forest also regulates temperature, which is very useful in high altitude tea gardens because frost can easily kill tea plants. The difference in temperature is easily felt when going in and out of the tea gardens at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether the shade provided limits photosynthesis is debated. First, the primary limiting factor for leaf growth is water availability; second, the Camellia Sinensis is a so-called shadow plant. It grows naturally in the borders of thick forests; therefore, its leaves have been designed through natural selection to make the best out of the limited sunlight available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome researchers even found better yields when tea is cultivated under shade. When water is scarce and the temperature is too high, most of the plants stop photosynthesis to avoid wasting water on evaporation. As they close their stoma (tiny gates present on the surface of the leaves), they cannot uptake carbon dioxide and kind of suffocate by a phenomenon called photorespiration. This leads to greatly impaired yield.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor all these reasons, maintaining the forest cover is critical in low-input tea gardens. Nowadays, many plantations managers plant dedicated shade trees in their gardens to benefit from those natural services. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTea garden management\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea gardens of Jingmai are harvested from April to October. The old tea trees have a long dormancy period of almost five months, compared to only two months for conventional Yunnan tea plantations. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ancient tea trees also have a longer cycle between each flush. They can be harvested five to seven times a year, while conventional plantations typically harvest three times a month. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the ancient tea trees can be over five meters tall, the tea pickers have to climb them to reach the tea leaves. This means the harvest is four to five times as slow as in a conventional tea plantation in which the tea trees have a beautiful picking table. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest is not the only operation required to manage an ancient tea garden. Twice a year, the weeds must be cleared. In Jingmai, it was traditionally made with machetes, but nowadays, using strimmers allows a much faster clearing, without any real downside. On top of weeding, some of the trees have to be pruned in order to keep their size acceptable for picking and promoting growth. Pruning in the ancient tea gardens is much lighter than in conventional plantations. In some other tea mountains, such as Yiwu, the ancient tea trees have their top crown pruned into a picking table, which facilitates the harvest, but, according to some tea experts, do have an impact on quality. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #073763;\"\u003eHow about the leaves?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Jingmai, the fresh leaves grown in the ancient tea gardens can be relatively easily distinguished from the natural tea garden leaves by their soft texture and dark-green color. They also have a smaller size, because the tea trees most commonly found in the ancient tea gardens belong to the small-medium leaf Assamica varietal; most of the tea gardens in Yunnan grow the big leaf varietal. However, this difference in size is not obvious to the untrained eye. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the ancient tea gardens of Jingmai mountain are famous for giving aromatic leaves, with a particular orchid aroma. The tea soup has an oily feeling in the mouth and gives way to an intense freshness felt in the throat. What gives those characteristics is still a secret of Nature and makes all the magic of tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":41830911764,"sku":"17年 春 景迈古兰 357克","price":245.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":41830911636,"sku":"17年 春 景迈古兰 20克","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/jingmai_gulan_1.jpg?v=1602569577"},{"product_id":"2005-hekai-old-gardens-yellow-flakes","title":"2005 Hekai Old Gardens Yellow Flakes","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese fermented yellow flakes were stored in Puer city on ground floor, besides a lake. These conditions created a wet environment for the tea to age in a surprising way. The tea tastes very much like Cantonese or Taiwanese natural storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHekai is a famous tea mountain located in Menghai area, on the road to Lao  Banzhang. Yellow flakes are leaves that became overly dry during the pu-erh tea processing. For reasons of leaf aspect and taste, they are most often sorted out of the mao cha before it is pressed in cakes. The yellow flakes are therefore a co-product of Pu-erh tea, they are les fragrant and bitter than regular pu-erh tea, however, they taste very sweet and can be either brewed or boiled. These yellow flakes were fermented, just like regular Shu Pu-erh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe leaves look ugly, but the tea tastes sweet and surprisingly thick, or rather silky, over many brews. This tea stands long brews very well, which means if you're patient, you can brew (or boil!) the tea for as many steepings as you want, just increase the steeping time at each brew.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fragrance is dark, earthy and mineral, with a typical wet environment aging smell, not for everyone, but surely for the Hong Kong tea lovers. It is not powerful but rather calming and endurant, you won't get any bitterness or astringency from it, only sweetness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41831301716,"sku":"2005年 贺开古树老黄片 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":41831301780,"sku":"2005年 贺开古树老黄片 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2005_hekai_1.jpg?v=1495621132"},{"product_id":"spring-2015-da-sun","title":"Spring 2015 Da Sun Shan","description":"\u003cp\u003eDa Sun Shan is located in Zhenyuan county, North of Jinggu and East of Bangdong. It is a small tea mountain, with only about 30 hectares of ancient tea gardens that have been cultivated for 200-300 years. The high altitude of 2100m makes tea grow very slowly, which is good for quality, cold temperatures is also the best barrier against pest and disease, which makes organic farming easier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince 2015, this tea was stored in puer city, with no airflow allowed. This aging technique allows to preserve the fragrance of tea because the original fragrance of the tea is not carried away by the air flow. The climate of Puer city is an intermediate between tropical and temperate climate, which allows for a reasonably fast aging, without having the characteristic funk of more humid places such as Guangzhou or Xishuangbanna.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe specific storage conditions are obvious from the first brew. Despite being made in 2015, it features a powerful honey-like fragrance that sits firmly in the tea soup. You can feel the fragrance spreading through the mouth and linger during the whole session. This kind of behavior is characteristic of a somewhat red processing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the fragrance, sweetness holds well on the taste buds, bitterness is low and astringency is moderate. Unlike Jingmai old--growth tea, this one does not feel particularly oily, it has another kind of thickness which could be defined as more watery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea goes easy on the stomach and you will enjoy it mostly for the fragrance and sweetness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yang Zhong Yue","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41876745556,"sku":"15年 春 打笋山 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41876745620,"sku":"15年 春 打笋山 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/dasun_shan_1.jpg?v=1495718700"},{"product_id":"spring-2014-pa-sai","title":"Spring 2014 Pa Sai","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter Jingmai and Bangwei, Pa Sai is the third ancient tea mountain of Lancang county. It's one of those places we don't hear about, but which actually produce a lot of tea, 40 tons per year on average. Its very remote location is probably what kept it under the radar of the pu-erh frenzy, the tea made there can be very decent if processed properly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs of all the cakes produced by Mr Yang, this pu-erh tea was stored in a restricted air environment, wrapped in a thick plastic sheet. This has an influence on aging, by slowing down slightly the aging process and, more importantly, retaining the original tea fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a strong fruity flavor, reminding of ripe peach. It has a light mouthfeel, yet still features a pleasant viscosity. The Huigan and mouthfeel complete the fragrance well, making this tea feel very balanced. Cha Qi is also quite good in this tea.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yang Zhong Yue","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41880676564,"sku":"14年 春 帕赛 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g  cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41880676628,"sku":"14年 春 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/pasai_1.jpg?v=1520828949"},{"product_id":"spring-2016-mi-jing","title":"Spring 2016 Mi Jing","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe leaves that compose this cake come from a location undisclosed by Mr Yang for commercial reasons, hence the name of the cake: \"secret place\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe like transparency at farmerleaf and give as much information on tea as possible. Yet in this case, we understand Mr Yang's wish not to reveal this location. However, it is possible to make a couple of educated guesses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea leaves are very small and have an unusual aspect. Tea that grows at high altitude tends to produce smaller leaves, but genetics do play a role too. This tea could be made from a cross breed between wild and cultivated tea gardens. The brewed leaves are reddened on the sides, some of them seem damaged. This indicates the tea gardens are very likely remote from the tea processing area, and the fresh leaves are bruised during transportation, which leads to oxidation. The leaves have a very heterogenous aspect, which indicates the leaves are not processed in a standard way. This supports the fact that this tea comes from a location where demand for tea is low and standardized techniques have not spread yet. Even though there is room for improvement on the processing side, the raw material quality is very interesting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fragrance is complex and flowery, it has a lemonish part that reminds of some wild tea varietals. Yet, the mouth feels fresh and the Huigan is strong. This tea has a very good Cha Qi, and no trace of bitterness and astringency. A very enjoyable experience, quite on the fringes of common Pu-erh tea.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yang Zhong Yue","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41887711892,"sku":"16年 春 秘境 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41889881492,"sku":"16年 春 秘境 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/mijing_1.jpg?v=1495724068"},{"product_id":"spring-2013-da-xue-shan","title":"Spring 2013 Da Xue Shan","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis tea comes from the Da Xue Shan (Big Snow Mountain) located in Yongde, not from the one located in Mengku. The material used for this cake comes from ancient tea gardens that grow near the famous and protected mountain. The top of Da Xue Shan is a protected national forest on which wild tea varietals grow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYongde, located in Lincang prefecture, is one of the Northernmost Pu-erh tea producing area in Yunnan. High latitude and altitude give the tea gardens very cold temperatures. This factor limits the expansion of the tea gardens at higher altitude because Camellia Sinensis var Assamica is quite sensitive to frost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea was stored wrapped in plastic sheets in order to restrict the air flow, this aging method, advocated by Mr Yang, is quite unusual and aims at keeping the original fragrance of tea while allowing the tea to oxidize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a balanced mouthfeel, with some light bitterness and astringency. This tea makes you sweat after a few cups and the throat feels fresh. This tea has a very decent fragrance, which is typical for teas from that area, added to the special storage conditions and years of maturity, the result is very pleasant to the nose. Yet, the main point of this tea is the strong Cha Qi, fragrance becomes a minor detail once your body is under the influence of such a tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yang Zhong Yue","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41887712212,"sku":"13年 春 大雪山 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41887712276,"sku":"13年 春 大雪山 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/daxue_shan_1.jpg?v=1495723615"},{"product_id":"spring-2008-ku-zhu-shan","title":"Spring 2008 Ku Zhu Shan","description":"\u003cp\u003eKu Zhu Shan is one of the most famous areas in Jinggu mountain. It's been very hot on the market in the past years, but Mr Yang was there long before the heat, back in 2008, he was already pressing tea from that area, which, at the time, was barely known outside the tea circles of Puer prefecture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung Ku Zhu Shan tea has a different profile from the usual Jinggu tea, it is both fragrant and bitter. This tea is nearly a decade old, and bitterness has vanished. Fragrance was preserved well through the year, thanks to the special storage method of Mr Yang: restricting air flow during aging. This method apparently slows down the aging process, and this tea looks greener than it should be if it had been stored in a more classic way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main features of this tea are heavy sweetness in the mouth, complex aged fragrance and light but enduring Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yang Zhong Yue","offers":[{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":41895446100,"sku":"08年 春 苦竹山 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":41895446420,"sku":"08年 春 苦竹山 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/kuzhu_shan_1.jpg?v=1495731173"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-single-trees","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Single Trees","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"description\" itemprop=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBig trees located on Da Ping Zhang plateau, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked on April 14th 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai in Jingmai Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes, total production: 9kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one of our most exclusive production of the year. On a sunny afternoon, we brought a team of pickers on an ancient tea garden owned by Yubai's cousin. According to the Ai Jiang Luan, who currently manages the trees, this plot benefits from a specific microclimate and is spared from most of the hailstorms and frost which fall on Jingmai during the harsh winters. With these milder conditions, the tea trees can grow old, tall and big.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe ordered our daily workers to harvest only the biggest trees of the plot, which requires a bit of climbing and a lot of dedication in order to reach the furthest branches and pick the tree clean. Due to the hefty price we would buy the leaves, the owner wanted to make sure no pickable leaves were left on the tree. Picking old trees only requires our constant presence in the tea gardens. At the end of the day, we went back home with about fourty kilograms of fresh leaves which Yubai hand-processed in our factory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The tea feels clean in the mouth, it has hints of smoke and complex Jingmai floral fragrance in the early infusions. In such teas, fragrance is only a detail, a curiosity which shouldn't distract us from the main point: Huigan and body-feeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eThis tea feels extremely fresh in the throat, even though the mouthfeel is lighter than in our Jingmai Gulan, the Huigan feels even more active and penetrating. You will likely sweat after a few cups, this tea is both energizing and relaxing, at least for those of us who can understand such feelings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eSee more on youtube!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1T6Xq0nYdWM\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"\u003e\n\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":43480135124,"sku":"17年 春 景迈单株 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":43480500052,"sku":"17年 春 景迈单株 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/MG_5814.JPG?v=1497712572"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-bulang-shan","title":"Spring 2017 Bulang Shan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens of Wei Dong Village, Bulang Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in mid-April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yang Hai Mei in Wei Dong\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 100g and 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e In early Spring 2017, before starting tea production in Jingmai, we headed to the South-West of Xishuangbanna, to visit our friend, Yang Hai Mei. She lives in Wei Dong, a village located in the South of Bulang Shan. The inhabitants of Wei Dong are from the Hani ethny, they lived in Lao Banzhang before moving to what currently makes Wei Dong: a plateau surrounded by hills. Rice is planted on the plateau while tea grows on the hills around.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural tea gardens were planted about 40 years ago and haven't been sprayed with pesticides for over a decade. They look quite similar to the ones we have in Jingmai, they are pruned only once every couple of years and are not fertilized.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe spent a couple of days, processing the early batches of Spring with our friend to warm up and share tips. The earliest sprouts are rarely the best of the season, but the tea we had made tasted promising, so we ordered 30kg of tea from our friend, she would keep some of her best batches for us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe received the tea in early May, and were delighted. We had in stone-pressed in Puer city: 100g and 357g cakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is a good example of Bulang mountain productions. It starts on the lighter side and releases good bitterness and sweetness as the leaves open up. The fragrance is both floral and herbaceous, the mouthfeel is light despite the power of the tea. Astringency starts high and tones down as the session goes, bitterness is present from the middle to the end. This tea has a lot of caffeine and will surely give you a boost. The bitterness is medium to strong, but not punishing. A solid tea with good aging potential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":44566019924,"sku":"17年 春 布朗山 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"100g cake (3.5oz)","offer_id":44566019988,"sku":"17年 春 布朗山 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":44566020052,"sku":"17年 春 布朗山 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_bulang_shan_1.jpg?v=1498818049"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-nannuo-shan","title":"Spring 2017 Nannuo Shan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens from Banpo old village, Nannuo Mountain, big and small trees picked together.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in late-April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Da Fa in Banpo Laozhai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've known Da Fa since 2012 and often recommend hin to our wholesale customers in China. He started his tea factory in 2010, just like Yubai did in Jingmai. We've exchanged a lot of knowledge and were always interested in his productions. This year was the right time to share his productions outside China. He operates a tea factory in Banpo Laozhai, the most visited village on Nannuo Mountain because of the extensive areas of ancient tea gardens it hosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea shows its full potential from the first brew, it coats the mouth at the first sip on the sweetness won't leave you until long after the session. Nannuo Shan teas tend to be straightforward and feature good complexity in the mouth, this one is a good example of it. The fragrance is fruity and the body is thick. Bitterness is present, along with a light astringency. The session feels very dynamic and the taste changes a lot throughout the session. Huigan doesn't come as early as in Jingmai teas, you have to wait for a couple of brews to get that refreshing feel in the throat. It's a tea mostly enjoyed for its persistant fragrance and active mouthfeel, it gives way to very interesting sessions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":44566375764,"sku":"17年 春 南糯山 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":44566375956,"sku":"17年 春 南糯山 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_nannuo_1.jpg?v=1498818303"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-wuliang-shan","title":"Spring 2017 Wuliang Shan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Yi Cang Village Wuliang Mountain, small and big trees picked together\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from late March to late-April 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in Yicang Wuhao tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 200g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWuliang Mountain is a huge tea producting area, right in the middle of Yunnan. Its Ancient tea gardens are numerous but scattered and remote. This region enjoys particularly low prices, the most affordable teas from ancient tea gardens can be found there. The consequence is that tea farmers seldom process the tea themselves, they usually sell the fresh leaves to medium sized factories which distribute them in the wholesale tea markets of Yunnan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven though Wuliang Shan has a lot of ancient tea gardens, it seems this region is looked down upon by the chinese tea enthusiasts. Yet, it offers sweet teas with complex fragrance, due to the high altitude of the area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Pu-erh tea has a sweet soup and no bitterness. It will please the green tea enthusiasts because its fragrance is rich and floral and will be sustained through many infusions. It will go easy on your stomach is makes a perfect daily-drinker.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wuhao tea company","offers":[{"title":"200g cake (7 oz)","offer_id":44603051924,"sku":"17年 春 无量山 200克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":44603051988,"sku":"17年 春 无量山  20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_wuliang_shan_1.jpg?v=1498845784"},{"product_id":"spring-2012-nanzuo-shengtai","title":"Spring 2012 Nanzuo Shengtai","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens of Nanzuo Village, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in Spring 2012\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Chen Xiao Hua in Nanzuo Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes, aged in Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea comes from Nanzuo village, a remote village on Jingmai Mountain. It was made by Chen Xiao Hua, our friend from Nanzuo. It was actually his first production. Starting out as a tea maker can be difficult, because you don't know tea buyers, which means it's common to end up with a part of the production unsold. Chen Xiao Hua pressed the remaining tea in cakes and let it age, he now feels confident to sell it, after five years of aging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea has age remarkably well for a tea stored in the tea mountains. In Jingmai, the summer season is very wet and a lot of tea turns moldy if it isn't well protected. This tea was well wrapped and survived five dangerous summers on Jingmai Mountain. When it arrived in Puer in late Spring 2017, it had a bit of that mountain wetness, this trait has toned down and now is left a sweet and mineral tea, aged in moderately dry conditions. It features a decent huigan that comes after a couple of brews. It was processed on the redder side and this trait can still be found in the tea nowadays, the fragrance is on  the fruity side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA very brewable and inexpensive tea that makes a great daily drinker if you like semi-aged Pu-erh teas.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":47797648084,"sku":"12年 春 南座生态 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":47797648148,"sku":"12年 春 南座生态 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2012_Nanzuo_shengtai_2.jpg?v=1501999030"},{"product_id":"spring-2007-wuliang-shan","title":"Spring 2007 Wuliang Shan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Yi Cang Village, Wuliang Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in Spring 2007\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in Yicang Wuhao tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g pu-erh tea cakes, aged in Puer City\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea was aged in Puer city since its production, therefore, it has aged in semi-wet conditions and features complex notes of hay and tobacco. The bitterness is very pleasant, it coats the sides of the mouth and has a very special mouthfeel only found in semi-aged teas. The Huigan comes out after a few infusions and can be quite strong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cake is a proof Wuliang tea can age beautifully. It's not the boring kind, each brew feels unique and the tea has plenty to show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wuhao tea company","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":47806907924,"sku":"07年 春 无量山 357克","price":74.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":47807178836,"sku":"07年 春 无量山 20克","price":7.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2007_wuliang_shan_3.jpg?v=1502024089"},{"product_id":"spring-2016-wuliang-single-trees","title":"Spring 2016 Wuliang Single Trees","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient trees of Yi Cang Village, Wuliang Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in Spring 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in Yicang Wuhao tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 200g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLi Chen Zhong is a good frend of ours, each Spring, he supervises his family production in a village of Wuliang Mountain; the rest of the time, you can find him hanging in his tea shop, in the wholesale tea market of Puer City.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Spring 2016, he decided to pick the biggest trees of his ancient tea gardens separately from the rest of the harvest. He released an exclusive 50kg production, using the same wrappers as his main cake series, with only a red stamp added on them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is not enjoyed for its fragrance, what matters here is clean mouthfeel, thicker than the usual Wuliang tea, and followed by an intense Huigan and Chaqi. It's a tea for the throat and the body, aimed at the most hardcore Pu-erh lovers. As far as Wuliang tea goes, this is a very unusual one, whose power can compare with more sought-after terroirs. It is on the sweet side, but carries a soft punch, much in the way Yiwu tea does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wuhao tea company","offers":[{"title":"200g cake (7 oz)","offer_id":47808531796,"sku":"16年 春 无量山 单株 200克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":47808580948,"sku":"16年 春 无量山 单株 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2016_wuliang_single_trees.jpg?v=1517132422"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-yellow-flakes","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Yellow Flakes","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Garden yellow flakes from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApril 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 250g cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cake is made of the Yellow Flakes we collected  from our Gushu production in Spring 2017. The yellow flakes are leaves that were not tender enough to be cooked properly, they appear all along the processing of Pu-erh tea. Yellow flakes are prevalent in  old trees material because the pickers tend to pick older leaves than in the natural tea gardens, up to 1 bud\/4 leaves. When processing such mature leaves, a lot of them don't cook well in the wok, they overdry and become the equivalent of pop-corn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese leaves have an unappealing aspect in the maocha; they must be sorted out, either by hand or by machine. These leaves taste sweet and display a different fragrance than standard maocha, they can be either brewed or boiled. This tea can be brewed Gongf-style but also performs very well in a glass; you will hardly get much bitterness from overbrewing, only sweetness comes out of yellow flakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYellow flakes are underated because of their aspect, which makes them great price for value if you only care about taste.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"250g cake (8.8 oz)","offer_id":2587741683750,"sku":"17年 景迈 古树 黄片 250克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7 oz)","offer_id":2587741716518,"sku":"17年 景迈 古树 黄片 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_jingmai_gushu_yellow_flakes_3.jpg?v=1509082167"},{"product_id":"autumn-2017-jingmai-shengtai","title":"Autumn 2017 Jingmai Shengtai","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens from the top of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from early September to mid-October 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe started the 2017 season a month earlier than last year. The rain was light but almost continuous, yet, we managed to get decent material from the natural tea gardens. Since there are a lot of yellow flakes during Autumn, we sourced a lot of 1 bud\/2 leaves material, which is more expensive than standard picking, but gives a dried tea with almost no yellow flakes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen there are no yellow flakes, you need 5kg of fresh leaves to get 1kg of maocha, but during the autumn season, if you need as much as 7kg of fresh leaves to get 1kg of sorted maocha. Getting high grade material is therefore a good option for the tea maker, because it will avoid the tedious sorting work. We also sourced the more commonly picked 1 bud\/3-4 leaves, this is why the cake looks tippy, but not as much as if it had been pure 1 bud\/2 leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe taste is thinner than the spring version of our natural tea garden productions, but its fragrance is very enjoyable. Autumn tea tends to be redder than Spring tea because the tea stems are naturally thicker and harder to cook in the wok, it's normal to get red stems in autumn tea and very hard to avoid them. However, we adjusted our processing parameters to avoid having too red a tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will enjoy this tea's endurance and sustained fragrance and sweetness. Just like its gushu counterpart, astringency is a bit high, which is probably due to the weather conditions we got in autumn 2017. In anyway, it makes a good daily drinker and will hopefully age decently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":4644681515046,"sku":"17年 秋 景迈 生态 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":4644681678886,"sku":"17年 秋 景迈 生态 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/autumn_2017_jingmai_shengtai_1.jpg?v=1509878319"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-jingmai-single-trees-gift-box","title":"Spring 2017 Jingmai Single Trees","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"description\" itemprop=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBig trees located on Da Ping Zhang plateau, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked on April 17th 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai in Jingmai Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 7g dragon balls, total production: 3kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the midst of our Spring 2017 production run, a relative of Yubai called us to ask if we wanted the harvest of his biggest trees. Those trees are located on a well-known spot, on the western end of Da Ping Zhang plateau, and receive the admiration of the tourists and tea enthusiats who visit Jingmai. We were quite surprised those trees weren't already booked by other tea makers and grabbed the opportunity. On the next day, we brought two pickers to the garden and harvested the flushing trees and spent the whole afternoon there, watching the pickers and chatting with the owner of the gardens. According to him, the trees can grow particularly old on this spot of the mountain because topographic features create a microclimate and spares the garden from the heavy hailstorms that can occasionally strike Jingmai.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe collected about 12kg of fresh leaves and went home. Yubai processed the tea entirely by hand for both sha qing and rolling, the leaves were then laid on bamboo baskets and dried in a couple of hours on the next day. We stored the tea as maocha in Puer city and had it pressed into 7g dragon balls during the Summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dragon ball compression allows to keep the leaves intact, after a couple of brews, they just look like maocha. The first rinse can take some time, but be ready as soon as the ball opens up. This tea has a lot of power to release, some fast-changing bitterness and a very powerful Huigan. You shouldn't drink this tea in a hurry as you'll be able to keep the session going for over two hours. Prepare to get carried out by an intense Cha Qi!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"18 dragon balls gift box","offer_id":4644737482790,"sku":"17年 春 单株 礼品盒 18颗龙珠","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_jingmai_single_trees_18_balls_2.jpg?v=1520958664"},{"product_id":"2016-jingmai-shu","title":"2016 Jingmai Shu","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJingmai natural tea gardens\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarvested in 2016 from late Spring to late Autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFermented in Menghai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRipe Pu-erh pressed into 357g cakes in 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- split --\u003e This ripe Pu-erh tea (Shu Cha) comes from a relative of Yubai's, she saved a large part of her 2016 harvest during the rainy season and put one metric ton of her tea into the hands of a tea factory dedicated to fermentation in Menghai. That little city is the place where the fermentation process that allows the making of Shu Cha was developed, back in the 1970's. Since then, hundreds of factories built up on that initial knowledge and developed their own techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe taste of ripe pu-erh tea depends more on the fermentation technique than on the raw material, and each fermenting pile will give a different result. A pile typically consists in one or two tons of tea, although recently, micro batches of only 50kg can be fermented. Having one's own tea fermented is always a risky endeavour and, when it succeeds, a source of pride for the tea producers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile a lot of the ripe pu-erh cakes are blended, this one is made entirely of Jingmai tea. The mouthfeel is smooth and silky, the fragrance is earthy and sweet. It is a gentle ripe Pu-erh that can be brewed a fair amount of steepings and will surely keep you warm during the long winter months.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":5458632507430,"sku":"16年 景迈 熟茶 357克","price":43.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/0009.jpg?v=1560834515"},{"product_id":"2011-2015-wuliang","title":"2011-2015 Wuliang Shan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlantations and natural tea gardens from Lao Cang Village, Wuliang Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlend of leaves from 2011 to 2015\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollected from several tea farmers in Lao Cang Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed in 2017 into 357g pu-erh tea cakes, aged in Lao Cang Village\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- split --\u003eOur friend, Li Chen Zhong, runs a tea factory in Lao Cang Village and has a tea shop in Puer City. In 2017, he collected mao cha from different small tea farmers in his hometown and blended together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is a rich mouthfeel and a dynamic range of flavours that deploy along the session. The material used is basic, so the Huigan is limited, however, the interest of this tea is in the fragrance and layered mouthfeel. The teas were stored by the farmers in Lao Cang village, in relatively dry conditions. This tea shows signs of aging while the tea soup is clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA very good daily drinker, which can stand over a dozen brews and delivers its sweetness and complexity all along.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":5561790824486,"sku":"11-15年 无量山 357克","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/2015_wuliang_1.jpg?v=1511350446"},{"product_id":"2011-menghai-shu","title":"2010 Menghai Shu","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMenghai plantation material\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHarvested in 2010\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFermented in Menghai in 2010\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePressed into 357g in 2011, grade 1 on the surface of the cake, grade 3 on the inside.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This ripe Pu-erh tea was blended and pressed by Yang Bing; who also presses our cakes. Yang Bing used to work in a large tea factory in Hekai, a tea mountain close to Menghai. He has expertise in fermentation and blending, and has recently started his own brand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cake uses menghai material as a basis, and was also fermented in menghai. The soup is clean, and several years of aging have given this tea a good harmony between fragrance and mouthfeel, as well as a noticeable mineral aspect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can notice the numerous buds on the surface of the cake, it's actually only a layer of high grade tea, the core of the cake is made of grade 3, which is coarser and not as good looking but gives more endurance to the tea. This technique of layering different grades of tea is used by the large tea factories in may of their cakes; it is less often seen in small pressings. This tea was stored in Menghai and Puer City, which share similar climates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a very endurant Shu Cha, you'll easily get fifteen brews, and consistent complexity. It has a medium strength and a special mineral taste that makes you want to drink more. The fragrance shows signs of aging in a dry environment.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chun Run Xian","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":5633970241574,"sku":"10年 勐海 熟茶 357克","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":5634238873638,"sku":"10年 勐海 熟茶 20克","price":4.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/menghai_shu_60471aa7-6038-4bde-85ea-a75195884f9c.jpg?v=1511501857"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-shengtai-mao-cha","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Shengtai Mao Cha","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tea gardens from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked on Feb 20th 2018\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed by Yubai on Feb 21st 2018\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf maocha\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e This tea is the very first batch we've made in Spring 2018. It is available in small quantity so that you can experience the taste of very fresh Pu-erh tea, right after processing. The taste of this tea will change a lot over the months after its production, you can witness the process of Pu-erh tea aging first-hand by tasting it again every week.","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"70g loose leaf pouch","offer_id":6848880771137,"sku":"18年 春 景迈毛茶","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/IMG_0485.JPG?v=1519567355"},{"product_id":"spring-2017-wuliang-sun-dried-black","title":"Spring 2017 Wuliang Sun-Dried Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient tea gardens of Lao Cang Village Wuliang Mountain, small and big trees picked together\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from mid-April to May 2017\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in Yicang Wuhao tea factory; sun-dried; medium oxidation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea was processed by Li Chen Zhong's father who's got a pretty good knowledge of black tea processing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter picking, the tea was rolled, piled for a couple of hours to let the leaves oxidize and finally sun-dried.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe oxidation step was kept short in order in order to let the tea partially oxidized. It will continue to oxidize slowly along the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs of March 2017, after nine months of aging, the tea features a complex opening fragrance that's due to the naturally high aroma leaves that grow in Wuliang area and the partial oxidation that reveals a good mix of flowers and fruits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like Pu-erh teas, sun-dried black teas are particularly enjoyed for their mouthfeel. Here, we have a very pleasant mix of bitterness and sourness that bursts on the tongue and vanishes after a few seconds. Sweetness builds up in the sides and back of the mouth as the session goes; supported by a lingering fragrance that comes back from the throat. It's a very long-brewing tea, you should be able to get ten enjoyable steepings from it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wuhao tea company","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":6879588581441,"sku":"17年 无量晒红 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":6879620497473,"sku":"17年 无量晒红 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"500g loose leaf tea (1.1 pound)","offer_id":6922502635585,"sku":"无量山 晒红 500克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring_2017_wuliang_sun-dried_black_2.jpg?v=1519883474"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-miyun","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Miyun","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40-year-old natural tea garden leaves from the top of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from late February to early April 2018, first and second flush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new edition of our classic 'Miyun' features a good balance between fragrance and mouthfeel. We used the same material as the 2017 edition: natural tea gardens for the higher grounds of Jingmai Mountain, located between 1500 and 1600m of altitude.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey grow on sandy soils which can't hold water and nutrients well, it means the soils get dry quickly after the rain and the gardens are struggling to get their nutrients. Under these harsh conditions, they need to protect their leaves from the herbivorous insects, and they build up secondary compounds such as caffeine and polyphenols which act as repellants and chemical defenses. These secondary compounds make the fragrance and taste of tea, this is why tea tree growing under stress produce more of them and their leaves are of superiror quality. The water stress was especially noticeable in early March because we got very few rains during the late Winter. When under stress, not enough chlorophyll can be produced, therefore the edges of the leaves turn yellow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe processed the leaves in a wok, using high temperature at the start and putting off the fire as the session goes in order to give a slow finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea has a floral fragrance, a slight bitterness and medium astringency. It is a good daily drinker that will keep you fresh and energized.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":8672066371649,"sku":"18年 景迈 密韵 357克","price":76.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":8672103170113,"sku":"18年 景迈 密韵 20克","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/DSCF0805.jpg?v=1643012628"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-tian-xiang","title":"Spring 2018  Jingmai Tian Xiang","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40 to 60 year-old natural tea garden leaves from Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked in early to mid April 2018\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second edition of the 'Tian Xiang' cake is made from a selection of natural tea gardens from Jingmai Mountain. Each year, we research about the characteristics of each tea garden and some spots give teas with special traits. This cake was made from natural tea gardens located close to the ancient tea gardens and another group of gardens remotely located halfway between Mangjing and Jingmai. Because of their history and the current agricultural practices, these gardens make a tea of superior qualilty, featuring a thicker soup and more complex fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea was processed in a wok, in the same way as the Miyun cakes, but the raw material differs. The tea features a complex floral fragrance, with hints of tropical fruits. The soup is thicker and Huigan deeper than in the Miyun cake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn terms of quality, this tea is a good middle ground between the basic natural tea gardens tea and the more expensive teas grown in the ancient tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":8672890880065,"sku":"18年 景迈 天香 357克","price":106.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":8673007894593,"sku":"18年 景迈 天香 20克","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/tianxiang.jpg?v=1617447528"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-sun-dried-black-short-oxidation","title":"Spring 2019 Jingmai Sun-Dried Black -- Short oxidation","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural Tea Gardens from the top of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked on March 2019\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan sun-dried black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is an experimental batch part our of research in black tea processing. We collected the fresh leaves in the late afternoon, we laid them in thin layers on our withering mats and let them loose some of their water overnight. On the second day, it wasn't until after lunch that the leaves had withered enough not to break down during rolling. We wanted to make a sun-dried tea and the tea had to dry on that day, we were running late...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe went on with a one hour of tight rolling, they came out really juicy and without much breakage. But it was already two o'clock, we needed to have the tea oxidized at least two hours before sunset. Therefore, we went for a short oxidation at high temperature, we piled the leaves in a covered bamboo basket put them in the greenhouse, under the strong sun of this clear day. The enzymatic activity is accelerated at high temperature and the leaves had turned to a satisfying red after only two hours of oxidation. At four o'clock, we unpiled the leaves and spread them thinly on a large piece of cloth, they eventually managed to dry under the setting Sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs far as black tea goes, these leaves can be considered lightly oxidized. The tea soup feels very vivid and has an interesting depth in the mouth. The fragrance is complex and keeps coming out as the session goes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":8686040809537,"sku":"19年 春 景迈晒红 轻发酵 100克","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":8686040842305,"sku":"19年 春 景迈晒红 轻发酵 20克","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/MG_5286.JPG?v=1560864092"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-black-light-roast","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Black Light Roast","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural Tea Gardens from the top of Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked on April 14th, third flush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProcessed in our tea factory, experimental\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoose leaf Yunnan sun-dried black tea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of our research in black tea processing, we wanted to try something else than sun-drying, but we have no air-dryer. After withering, rolling and oxidation, we put the leaves in a wok. We started with a temperature of about 170 degree celsius on the hottest point of the cast iron wall. When the leaves are very wet, it's not a problem to have such a high temperature, we let the small fire die and the wok emperature decrease as the leaves were getting dry. After a while, there was no need to shuffle the leaves anymore and we let them lay at the bottom of the wok overnight. When we woke up on the next day, the leaves were totally dry and had a very pleasant roast fragrance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result of this experiment is a fragrant tea with dark notes of roasting and a hint of smoke. The mouthfeel is light in comparison to our sun-dried tea batches. A slight bitterness can be felt in the early infusions. The roast fragrance is not overpowering and is completed by more floral tones.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"100g loose leaf tea (3.5oz)","offer_id":8687106031681,"sku":"18年 春 景迈 烘培红茶 100克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":8687106064449,"sku":"18年 春 景迈 烘培红茶 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/black_wok_1.jpg?v=1525802334"},{"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"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-gulan","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Gulan","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Garden leaves from Da Ping Zhang Garden, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from mid-March to mid-April 2018, first and second flush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new edition of our flagship cake is a blend of several ancient tea gardens located on the main plateau at the top of Jingmai Mountain.We sourced teas from our own tea gardens as well as family relatives', we waited until the end of the tea making run to taste each of the batches and blend them to make our final products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plateau has an average altitude of 1600m and is covered by a large semi-opened forest. Tall trees give shade to the tea trees. The soil is sandy, improper for cereal or vegetable cultivation, tea gardens were established several centuries ago in that location, some sources mention tea production and trade as early as the 9th Century. Since the terrain is relatively flat, a thick layer of autumn leaves accumulates on the ground. In the most shaded parts, the soil is dark and smells very good, a sign of a high concentration of organic matter, which binds the few clay available and greatly improves the water and nutrient retention capability of the soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea has a medium bitterness which disappear quickly and brings plenty of lingering sweetness. The orchid fragrance, typical of Jingmai tea, is easily noticeable. The soup is full-bodied and oily. The Huigan comes early in the session and stays in your throat for a long time. It can be brewed for ten to twenty strong infusions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2611jrIM9LQ\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":9037040648257,"sku":"18年 春 景迈古兰 357克","price":187.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":9037040681025,"sku":"18年 春 景迈古兰 20克","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/0021.jpg?v=1560834272"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-weng-bo","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Weng Bo","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Garden leaves from Weng Bo Garden, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from mid-March to mid-April 2018, first and second flush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- split --\u003eIn addition to our classic Jingmai Gulan, we decided to press single garden cakes. Jingmai has the largest ancient tea gardens in Yunnan and the Chinese don't have names to differenciate the tea gardens more accurately. However, the local Dai who inhabit Jingmai Mountain do have dozens of names that designate small portions of those vast gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Weng Bo' is the Dai name that designates the tea gardens bordering the Northern part of the village, on the upper slopes, just below Da Ping Zhang plateau. We sourced the tea from Yubai's grandparents who own part of this garden and spend most of their time maintaining and harvesting the tea themselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeng Bo has steep slopes, sandy soil and medium sized trees that provide shade to the ancient tea gardens. Its altitude is comprised between 1570m and 1470m, the slopes can reach a 30-40% grade. The consequence of this steep angle is that the leaves that fall on the ground are very soon washed away by the rain, the soil is much poorer in organic matter than on the plateau. Low organic matter content, sandy soil and steep slope means the soil dries very quickly after a rain, and the tea trees have to adapt their physiology to those conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a more bitterness than the average Jingmai tea, astringency is medium. The soup is less oily than average, it is a nimble and powerful tea that flows directly down your throat without taking mmuch time coating your palate. In being both light in the mouthfeel but rich in bitterness, sweetness and Huigan, this tea will reminds you of Bulang Shan teas\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2611jrIM9LQ\" allow=\"autoplay; encrypted-media\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":9037258555457,"sku":"18年 春 景迈翁波 357克","price":187.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":9037258588225,"sku":"18年 春 景迈翁波  20克","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/0019.jpg?v=1560834321"},{"product_id":"spring-2018-jingmai-mang-guo","title":"Spring 2018 Jingmai Mang Guo","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Garden leaves from Mang Guo Garden, Jingmai Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicked from mid-March to mid-April 2018, first and second flush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed in our tea factory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to our classic Jingmai Gulan, we decided to press single garden cakes. Jingmai has the largest ancient tea gardens in Yunnan and the Chinese don't have names to differenciate the tea gardens more accurately. However, the local Dai who inhabit Jingmai Mountain do have dozens of names that designate small portions of those vast gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Mang Guo' is a Dai name, it designates the gardens located South East of the village, down the slope. It's actually very close to our house and tea factory, which makes collecting the leaves very convenient. It is partly managed by Mie Ye Hen, Yubai's aunt. We have been sourcing the fresh leaves from this garden since 2011 and this year, we decided it was worth making a cake out of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMang Guo has an altitude comprised between 1430m and 1390m, that means 200m lower than the main plateau of Jingmai Mountain and therefore has a slightly higher temperature. Small differences in temperature do have an influence on the tea growth cycle, the higher the temperature, the earlier tea will sprout in the season. The soil is mainly sandy, but contains more silt and clay than in the upper slopes and the plateau, this has an impact on the water and nutrient retention capacity. The soil here is clearly more fertile than in the higher gardens, somes plots are even used for growing corn and vegetables. The forest cover is dense, shade is provided by large trees whose fallen leaves bring a healthy cover to the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the tea trees growing in this plot have a thicker trunk than the ones you can find in the plateau, this is probably due to the higher soil fertility and temperature which induce a faster growth. It is easy to see the difference in soil properties after a rain. The soils from the upper slopes dry quickly, while the soil of Mang Guo garden stays wet for over a week. In this gardens, the teas are less likely to suffer from nutrient and water stress, however, they are more often attacked by pest and disease because of the higher temperature and humidity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is not bitter and not especially fragrant in comparison to teas from the upper slopes, yet, it has a very thick mouthfeel with a pleasant texture. It is well layered in the mouth and leaves plenty of sweetness on its path. The difference in taste is obvious compared to the teas from Da Ping Zhang plateau, it is a tea mainly enjoyed for its mouthfeel and chaqi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":9037543407681,"sku":"18年 春 景迈芒过 357克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":9037543440449,"sku":"18年 春 景迈芒过 20克","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/0017_4078adeb-b06a-44f7-8fe4-5cdb94926ef5.jpg?v=1560834339"}],"url":"https:\/\/farmerleaf.com\/collections\/tea-archive.oembed?page=8","provider":"Farmerleaf","version":"1.0","type":"link"}