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Notes from the Field: Tea Adventures Wuyi Mountain

Tea Adventures

The origins of Wuyi Rock oolong: Shuixian. First, there were one of the few extant species of arbor type teas in the world, the mid size leaf tree type Camellia Sinensis called Shuixian. Successfully propagating Wuyi Mountain area after Phoenix Mountain, the trees were later differentiated by subspecies into various famous groves, or Ming Cong, such as Water Golden Turtle, Dahongpao. From green leaf to black dragon, one of the most profound teas in the world will be explored in depth by our fellow tea aficionado tour group. Today: perfect fall weather, last day of production, and of Rougui oolong. Took them into the wild Old Groves Shuixian forest.

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The Rarest Teas in the World: A Look at What is Truly Limited

Rare Teas

The words ‘rare teas’ have become common place in the greater industrialized tea world.  Anything but CTC or machine made teas have been called ‘rare teas’ by marketers, justifying such usage to mean ‘not infinitely available nor blended into blandness’.  But in the artisan tea world, rare teas are single lot, often made in small batches of less than 100 lbs.. In addition, the rarity must be attributed to conditions that limit possible additional production, either by nature or nurture. Some are dependent on a confluence of conditions, such as the Leaf Hopper bitten Taiwan Beauty of Taiwan. Some are grown on such high elevations, like the Dayuling at 2,500 meters or higher, that by nature of the limited growing areas, the teas are few in yield. Still others, like many Phoenix teas, are harvested from single, antiquated tea trees that are hundreds of years old. In the Yunnan region…

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Artisan Tea Producer: Mr. Zhang of Wuyi Mountain, China

Producer Profiles

So many of the artisans that we buy teas from are unique and deserve the utmost attention and respect. It’s difficult to choose just one to highlight. Mr. Zhang, of Wuyi Mountain, China, however, would definitely be the first. Wuyi ‘Rock’ teas were often State gifts from the Central Chinese government to other dignitaries, such as the President of the United States. As a result, the requirements of being an acknowledged artisan in a fabled tea producing region is quite high. Wuyi Mountain is a legendary scenic area of some of the most pristine waters and cliffs, with a unique terroir that commands some extreme requisites for growth. Mr. Zhang has tackled the job of mastering what is traditional farming and processing techniques. He has also created personalized equipment to make exceptional versions of Wuyi teas. Wuyi teas are arbor type Camellia Shuixian varietals that grow on just 10cm of soil, and…

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