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Gong Fu Lychee Black Tea

$22.00

DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, THIS TEA IS SOLD OUT

A young monk asked the wise tea master Lao Cha:

Shifu, I love sweets and fruits. But doctors told me that I can’t have them if I want to take care of my health. What to do? How can I satisfy my cravings, yet stay healthy?

– Have some Lychee Red Tea. 

 

Lychee is a small sweet fruit found in tropical Asian and Indian climates. To make Lychee black tea, farmers first harvest the tea leaves and store them until the summer. They take both fresh and dried lychee and smoke them over low temperatures for a fair duration of time. They then add Gong Fu black tea leaves during this process to absorb the mellow aroma and full natural sweetness remnants of the adjacent lychee.

The tea garden in which this black tea is growing is in the famous mountains of Fujian Province of China, about 600 meters above sea level. The surrounding camel-hump knolls and thick forestry help regularly supply a unique cloud and mist ecology. That serves to enrich the quality of tea in the region.

The sugary addition of lychee provides some specialty in its pairing with a fermented black counterpart. It can be brewed with lemon or rose for added complexity and transformation. It also makes a great iced tea and is popular in Taiwan for making famous bubble tea drinks.

Lychee tea is truly a specialty tea. It is widely popular in Fujian and Guangdong - two of China's provinces in the South. Legend traces the origin of Gong Fu Lychee black tea back to the Tang dynasty. According to the tale, the famous concubine Yang Gui Fei loved to eat lychee. The Emperor would send a huge fleet to Jiangnan for the lychee transportation every year. The ships transported the fruits along with tribute black tea back to the northern capital via the Grand Canal. During the journey, their aromas intertwined. The new invention later spread out to the world, becoming the world's first fruit-scented tea.

In fact, tea merchants invented Gongfu Lychee black tea's modern processing in the 1920-1930s. They used the fruit's pulp and flowers to scent the tea leaves. It was part of an attempt to enter foreign trade markets and provide fruit-scented tea to Americans and Europeans. The result is a tea with a bright red soup color and an intensive fragrance that reminds of honey. Its dry tea strips are tight, dark brown in color, with apparent golden hair. The Gongfu lychee black tea has a mellow taste and a sweet, soothing flavor that is long and enduring. The unique pairing makes this specialty tea not only a local best-seller but also a product sought overseas. This tea is a good choice for those with sensitive stomachs.

 

  • Place of Origin: Black Tea - Panxi Town, Fuding, Fujian Province, China | Lychee - Qingyuan, Guandong Province, China
  • Altitude: 800m
  • Harvest Date: May 2021
  • Picking Standard: One bud with two or three leaves
  • Aroma: Strong lychee aroma
  • TasteStrong lychee flavor. Smooth, sweet and mellow
  • Cultivar:  Fuding Cai Cha

 


Brewing guidelines: 

                 195℉ / 90℃ 

         1g per 50ml   3-5min

              1g per 20ml   10sec + 5sec for each subsequent infusion


Customer Reviews

Based on 16 reviews
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J
Jeremy Van Noecker
Our new standard

My family loves this tea so much, it has become the go to when we make a pot. The Lychee flavor is subtle, but lends a perfect counter-balance to the body of the tea. I like it straight, but my family enjoys a sweetener in it (my daughter more so.)

S
Sean
Gorgeous Lychee Aroma

I really love the lychee aroma, it's strong and gives me a taste of lychee (one of my favorite fruits). I brew it gongfu style and get roughly 6+ steepings in before the flavor starts to fade. Like the description says, it also makes a mean bubble tea. Highly recommended!

P.S., This is actually the tea that brought me to Path of Cha, so I love it even more. I sought it out because it's the favorite drink of a character in Crazy Rich Asians, no joke!

D
David Michael White
Lychee 👍

I knew that I was in for a treat as soon as I smelled the leaves. What a delightful aswell as potent scent of dried fruit! The taste was also pleasant, as it was not bitter but very soothing to drink. I like Lychee!

K
Kuba
fruity/sweet

the tea is not bad but the taste was too sweet and fruity almost like candy. maybe just about the lychee, i have never had this fruit before.

F
Francine
Dried fruits

The qualities of this tea remind me of some dessert made of dried fruits... like maybe a fruit cake. Theres a hint of smokiness to it which actually balances really well with this otherwise sweet tea. I for one am in love with this new favorite.