2024 Sun-Dried MengSong Black Tea

‘24春 | 云南 勐宋晒红

This is a Yunnan sun-dried BLACK TEA (RED TEA / HONG CHA).

A juicy, bright and fruity high altitude black tea, lightly oxidized. This was produced during our 2024 Spring tea trip in Yunnan.

Material from this tea was picked on the high slopes of HuaZhuLiangZi mountain, in the vicinity of BengGang village. In order to preserve the delicate fruit flavor of this leaf, we only oxidized it lightly and dried it out in the open under direct sun, without any oven-baked or roasting. This has produced a rich yet elegant tea that showcases soft, clean florals and plum notes, while avoiding the artificially strong fragrance of most oven-baked black teas.

The light oxidation of this material shows up in the aroma wafting from the gaiwan lid -- it has the same pungent notes of crushed flower pollen and honeyed umami often observed in good sheng puerh -- but with a sweeter fig overtone reminding one that it is still a black tea. Brewed with flash steeps, the soup sparkles brilliantly, dried apple with a hint of rosehips and gummy bear sweetness. It is robust material; steeped stronger, a delicious dried figgy sweet-earth emerges without excessive tannin.

An excellent, unfussy black tea that lovers of bright joyous flavors will enjoy on a daily basis.