Sun-dried, Wild Dian Hong Black Tea

The Great Emperor of China once asked the tea master Lao Cha: 

– Tell me, old master, how were you able to achieve a tea with such extraordinary taste? 

– This wasn’t difficult, my Emperor. All I had to do was wait for a hundred years until the tea bushes reached the ideal age, and the soil surrounding their roots absorbed all the wild fruits, becoming rich and moist. This is the secret. 

This tea comes from old trees growing in the wild at an elevation of over 2,000 meters in the National Nature Reserve in Lincang, Yunnan. The natural ecological environment provides ideal conditions for tea cultivation, free from pollutants and chemicals.

The decomposing wild fruits and fallen leaves give sufficient nutrients to the trees growing in this soil for hundreds of years. In symbiosis with other native plant species in the region, the ancient trees grow for decades without trimming. The high altitude prevents the development of plant diseases, so the trees do not require fertilization or pesticides. Their root system is strong and well-developed, reaching deep into the ground. The abundant soil nutrients and the pristine surroundings create a remarkable tea full of Cha Qi (茶气). The tea leaves overflow with taste and aroma that feels alive even after many infusions.

The oily black-and-purple leaves are plump and tight. The clear, deep orange tea soup has a smooth entrance, soft, refreshing mouthfeel, and intense returning sweetness (回甘 – Hui Gan). Notes of berries, smoked plums, and tropical fragrance evoke a landscape of blooming meadow amid a lush spring forest. After sipping, smell the empty cup – you will be rewarded with a unique aroma lingering at the bottom.

Unlike most black teas, which are finished in heated dryers, this tea is spread out on bamboo trays and dried under the sun. The process is slow and gentle. Low temperatures gradually draw moisture from the leaves, allowing them to retain more of their natural aromatics and sugars. Sun-drying gives the tea a bright, honey-floral character and keeps the tannins soft and rounded. Instead of roasted or smoky notes, you get a clean profile with a light, naturally occurring sweetness.