"Secret Forest" Lao Cai Sun-Dried Wild Black Tea (Vietnam 🇻🇳)

In the highlands of Lào Cai, where the tea trees touch the heavens, wise Lao Cha and his ever-curious disciple ventured to unveil the secrets of a peculiar tea grown from ancient, sky-tall trees.

– "Master," – young disciple pondered aloud, – "why do the best teas always seem to grow just beyond reach?"

Lao Cha, replied, – "Ah, the tea tree, like life, stretches towards the heavens, seeking wisdom. We, too, must reach high to grasp its leaves... and its lessons."

– "So, Master, in seeking the highest leaves, we find the deepest flavors?" – asked the disciple, looking at the giant tea trees.

Lao Cha, with a twinkle in his eye, replied, – "Precisely... and occasionally, a good stretch."

In the shadow of towering wild tea trees, Master and disciple shared a hearty laugh. The leaves they sought uplifted their spirits as they were bonded by the profound yet playful wisdom of tea.

Our "Secret Forest" Vietnamese Black Tea comes from the remote and pristine highlands of Bát Xát, Lào Cai, Việt Nam. There, ancient tea trees grow at the astonishing 2200 meters above sea level, with some of the tea trees towering up to 20 meters!

This exceptional tea is derived from an uncommon, non-Sinensis varietal that grows as wild as it gets. The leaves of this unique species display a vibrant palette of colors, from deep red and purple to dark green, setting the stage for a tea that defies convention and captivates the senses.

Harvesting this wild tea is a feat of its own, given the great height and secluded location of the trees. This challenge requires multiple picking sessions, resulting in a prolonged production cycle of several batches. Rather than blending all the season's batches into a uniform product, the producer embraces this variability. This approach celebrates the individuality of each batch. It offers the opportunity to appreciate the nuanced differences that nature and craftsmanship bring to the tea, allowing each batch of wild tea to tell its own story of the terroir and the conditions under which it was crafted.

Unlike most black teas that finish in a heated dryer, this tea is laid out on bamboo trays and left to bask in the sun. The gentle, low-temperature rays pull moisture out slowly, so the leaves keep more of their volatile aromatics and natural sugars. That careful dehydration locks in a bright, honey-floral aroma, softens the usual tannins, and lets a subtle dried-fruit sweetness develop right in the leaf – no smokiness, no roasted notes, just clean, sun-soaked flavor that continues to mellow gracefully over time.

Upon brewing, this tea unveils a thick, pale copper-colored liquor that promises an array of flavors. The initial sips reveal the sweet, slightly sour notes reminiscent of tamarind. As you continue, a complex bouquet unfolds with an enduring Huigan (回甘) that lingers long after the tea has been savored. Tropical fruit notes of mango, papaya, and lychee emerge, enhancing the tea's depth and intrigue.  

This tea allows long steeps that can fully open its multifaceted character.