Yunnan “Pine Needles” Green Tea from Mengku

This lovely tea is grown in Mengku County of Lincang in a village called “Dofu Zhai” (aka Tofu Village).  It’s a local varietal, a hybrid of pure Assamica and Change Ye Bai Hao.  The tea was picked and processed between March 4th and 7th.  The tea is fried by and in a wok, rolled, wilted very very briefly and then dried by hand in a wok again.  At this final stage the tea is pressed flat again to make is straight and pointy.  The finished product is a silver and green needled tea that locals call “Song Zhen” (Pine Needles).

In addition to its beautiful appearance, the tea brews up a lovely bright green-yellow tea soup with hints of raw chestnut and umami.  The tea is thick and lubricating to the mouth and throat (never drying or harsh).  A fine Yunnan green tea that complex, delicate and satisfying to experience!

April Harvest and processing.