A beautiful and unique tea from ancient non-Sinensis varietal tea trees growing wild at altitudes of 2200m+ in Phong Thổ, Lai Châu. The people living and making tea in this area are of the Dao ethnicity.
 
The raw leaves used to make this tea take on shades of red, purple and green with a glossy appearance. Picking the leaves to make this tea requires a long walk into the forest and climbing up very tall tea trees. This is only possible on days with good weather.
 
This tea brews up slowly into a rich crimson colored soup. Heavy sweet and a bit sour fruit flavors and fragrances with grapes, raisins and blackberries being the fruits that come to mind for me. This tea has pleasing herbal notes that balance well with the heavy fruit character. Little to no bitterness and astringency. Lingering cooling effect in the throat begins after a few cups. Mellow, relaxing qi effect for me.
 
I like to brew this tea for long steeps at 100 degrees to really enjoy the rich texture that this tea can produce. I also like simmer the spent leaves to fully extract everything from them.
This tea goes many rounds and is also a good option for grandpa-style brewing and simmering.
 
Season: Spring 2022
Picking Standard: 1 bud, 2-3 leaves
Region: Phòng Thổ, Lai Châu
Elevation: 2200m+