Aged Orange Peel - Meijiang Chenpi

梅江15年老陈皮

This is a well-aged chenpi (orange peel) from the XinHui region in Guangdong (Canton) Province, from the top Meijiang micro production area. The specific terroir in Meijiang is said to contribute to the quality of its oranges -- it sits at a major river-mouth, where saltwater from the ocean mixes with freshwater during high tides, enriching the soil with a very specific character. Whatever the case, the chenpi being produced from Meijiang tends to have a more refined profile, with lower bitterness and citrus astringency than many other areas. 

These traditionally dried peels have been aged for approximately 10-15 years to give a rich yet smooth taste. The dry aroma shows super clean storage, rich and pure with zero mustiness. Once brewed, delicate orange blossom notes and a smooth candied citrus profile emerges, with a very long fragrant aftertaste. Steeped for longer, the richness intensifies with a beautiful heavier body of sweet citrus leather. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) attributes many health benefits to aged chenpi, such as weight control, improved digestion and soothing sore throats or congestion. It is said to have a favorable effect on the body's qi and circulation.

Please note: chenpi is extremely fragile and you may receive a mix of both "whole" triple-segments and partial segments in each pack. The quality remains consistent and does not affect brewing.

TRADITIONAL BREWING METHODS

This super premium chenpi is suitable to be tasted on its own, but also complements aged white tea or shou puerh perfectly.

If brewing on its own, use 3-5g in a standard gaiwan or small teapot. It may be steeped for 60s to start. Adjust to your preference, as this chenpi does not turn bitter with extended steeping. Also feel free to use larger vessels with longer (3-5min) steeps. Chenpi may also be boiled to extract maximum flavor.

Chenpi may be combined with shou puerh or aged white tea with fantastic results. If brewing gongfu style, start with a 1:1 ratio by weight and adjust the proportion from there, depending on how intense the tea is (chenpi may be added midway if needed). Feel free to break the chenpi into smaller pieces for a faster infusion.

We also enjoy extended brews of chenpi-shou or chenpi-white in a large thermos flask.