"Fur Peak" Mao Feng Green Tea

DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, THIS TEA IS SOLD OUT. 

Long ago, the wise tea master Lao Cha was on his pilgrimage through the high terrains of Yunnan. With him, he had some tea seeds, which he would carefully drop every now and then...

Years later, a young monk was on the same pilgrimage. Tired and cold, he found some forgotten tea bushes and decided to make some quick tea. The monk was amazed — the tea was much sweeter than anything he's ever tried! He hurried down to share Maofeng Green Tea with the rest. 

Mao Feng Green Tea is one of the most popular Chinese green teas. Maofeng's history dates a couple of hundred years back. This tea, originally native to the Yellow Mountain of Anxi, became so popular that it quickly spread around and got transplanted to many other places, including the high mountains of Yunnan. Mao Feng tea bushes are unique because they grow wildly, with no tea bush being the same.

Tea farmers must skillfully navigate the tall mountains and hand-pick the tea leaves using traditional methods to avoid harming native tea bushes. Then, after some wilting, they pan-fry them to obtain the finished tea. Mao Feng means "Fur Peak", which describes the appearance and shape of the processed tea leaves – pointy and covered with soft white fuzz.
Traditionally processed Mao Feng is incredibly sweet, fresh, and void of bitterness.

Due to using the Yunnan native Da Ye Zhong cultivar, the dry leaves of the Mao Feng Green Tea are thick and plump, dark yellow to dark green in color. Many of them are covered by an abundant white fuzz. When submerged in boiling water, a refreshing, flowery aroma with notes of beans and chestnut emerges. The long-lasting taste is sweet, smooth, and energizing. No hint of bitterness or astringency makes this rare tea even more indulging.

Zhengwan village lies west of Nanping town, in the district of Simao - one of the most important tea-producing regions in Yunnan province. Its high altitude (1300+ meters) and abundant rainfall make for excellent quality tea. Zhengwan is surrounded by a pristine mountain forest, with wild tea bushes scattered among the natural surroundings. The unspoiled natural resources have boosted the production of organic tea. Tea farmers are encouraged not to use fertilizers or pesticides. Instead, they replace them with manure from the freely grazing sheep, hummus, and green manure (fresh foliage, grass, legumes, etc.). Some farmers go as far as catching the insects by hand to keep the tea leaves pure, as nature intended.

In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented measures for poverty alleviation in the region. They caused a surge in tea production, helping smaller tea farmers to reach the market with their production.
The Yi and Dai minorities that live there have a long history with tea, and they still practice their traditional ways of tea processing, which are passed on through generations.

• Place of Origin: Zhengwan Village, Pu'er, Simao, Yunnan, China
• Harvest Date: April 2021
• Aroma: Chestnut, stir-fried beans, floral
• Taste: long-lasting sweetness, zero bitterness, smooth and refreshing
• Cultivar: Yunkang #10 (Camellia sinensis var. assamica)