It's All About Tea — ancient tea

Tea lovers have long known that the quality of the water used to brew tea can have a profound impact on the taste of the final beverage. In ancient China, tea masters traveled great distances to find the best water for tea. Some of the most famous water sources in the country became known for their unique mineral content and flavor.

A famous Chinese proverb says, "Water is the mother of tea." It shows how important water is to the quality of tea. If you want to make the best cup of tea, it is important to use the proper water.

In this blogpost, we will discuss how water affects tea's aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. We will also provide tips on choosing the best water for your next cup of tea. (Read more)

In this blog post, we continue our exploration of non-native Chinese teas produced in Asia.

Our destination is Laos - a country on the crossroad between China (more specifically, Yunnan), Vietnam, and Burma, among others. Nestled in the area known as the cradle of tea origin, Laos is a country with ancient tea heritage, pristine forests, and age-old tea trees. Let's explore its merits and discover the Laos tea that increasingly draws the interest of tea drinkers by the year. (Read More)

Tibetan black tea is made from more mature tea leaves. The picking standard for it includes a bud and up to five leaves. Modern days processing includes typical steps for producing Hei Cha – fixing, rolling, wet piling (Wo Dui – 渥堆), drying, steaming, pressing, and finally, aging. While the processing changed with time, some believe it is namely Tibetan tea that precedes all other types of Hei Cha and served as a model for all subsequent Hei Cha production and processing in other areas of China. 

Tibetan tea processing includes 5 stages and a total of 32 processing steps. The aging period alone requires a minimum of 6 months. Some claim its production process is the most intricate and time-consuming among all tea types. (Read more)

Centuries ago Chinese black tea steadily paved its way to popularity in the west. This wasn't the case in China, where people preferred freshly processed green teas. Black tea was no more than an export, something locals dare not drink themselves. It wasn't until quite recently that Chinese farmers began rediscovering the beauty of a well-executed black tea. Dian Hong Black Tea is one of those teas that is highly honored today. Originating in Yunnan province, it is made from wild ancient tea trees. The final taste is full of Qi and sure to get any tea connoisseur tea drunk in no time. (Read more)

In today's post we will discus the origins of tea in China and ancient Chinese tea drinking methods. From 2737 BCE and all the way up to modern times, let's take a look at how tea culture transformed. (Read more)