2024 Laoshan Sweet Potato Leaf Tea
2024 Laoshan Sweet Potato Leaf Tea
Crafted by the He Family
- DATE OF PICKINGSeptember 2024
- Laoshan VillageShandong Province
- ELEVATION500 M
- laoshan sweet potatoTea Varietal
The sweet potato is the most iconic fixture of Shandong province, and grows in every family garden in Laoshan village and up the mountainside. For decades, locals have harvested semi-wild sweet potato from within the Laoshan National Park between rocky outcroppings and gnarled trees. As Laoshan tea becomes more famous and brings a better standard of living to the region, sweet potato has become a less critical crop, but this tea honors the tradition by applying tea finishing technique to foraged sweet potato leaf. The He Family has to roast the sweet potato leaf five times just to stop oxidation, making this a notably slow and time consuming tea to produce. Several kilos were made this year, and we are lucky to once again offer the majority of the harvest while it lasts.
Tasting Profile
- savory - roasted sweet potato, malt, brown sugar
- spice - clove, cinnamon
- fruit - golden raisin
- floral - vanilla
- texture - rich, toasty
the He Family also recommends:
'As they steep, the reddish dry leaves pop open almost as quickly as green Gan Zao Ye, yielding beautiful leaves that get a touch greener with each infusion. The first steepings are very, very malty with a light chocolate flavor, pudding sweetness and hints of violet. As the tea continues steeping, it gets a thick dried apple quality with cherry bark and palm sugar undertones'
Steeping Instructions
Western
5 g.6-8
oz.use 175° watersteep 20 secondsresteep many times
add 10 sec. each infusionGongfu
5 g.6 ozuse 175° watersteep 8 seconds
add 4 sec. per steepingenjoy many steepingsIced/Cold
5 g.12
oz.use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
8 hoursadd ice & enjoy