Maocha from a couple very interesting tea gardens in Tả Củ Tỷ. These tea gardens have big boulders and rocks scattered about the hillside with tea trees growing in the spaces between. 
 
Tả Củ Tỷ roughly translates to “Big Rice Field” and is a culturally diverse area in Lào Cai including people from the Dao, Mông, Tày, Nùng and Phù Lá ethnicities. The geography of this area is also varied with rocky mountain cliffs, large boulder gardens and fertile clay rich rice growing areas. 
 
Last year our friend in Tả Củ Tỷ made white tea and a small batch of raw puerh from these gardens and I was surprised at the significant difference in taste from the gardens where our teas from prior years were from. 
 
This tea is delicate but not without strength. The fragrance and flavor remind me of honey, pollen with a jasmine esque floral note. Rich golden brew, strong minerality with a sweet and lightly bitter finish. Overall low bitterness, low-moderate astringency. 
 
This tea makes for a great comparison with the more aggressive clay gardens tea from this year. 
 
Season: April 2025
Picking Standard: 1 bud, 2-3 leaves
Region: Tả Củ Tỷ, Lào Cai
Elevation: 1100-1250m