2023 Qianjiazhai Hand Fired Black
2023 Qianjiazhai Hand Fired Black
Crafted by the Dongsa Cooperative
- DATE OF PICKINGSpring 2023
- QianjiazhaiMt. Ailao, Yunnan
- ELEVATION2140 m
- Qianjiazhai AssamicaTea Varietal
The Dongsa cooperative wild-forages the leaves for their hand-fired black tea from trees well over one hundred years old, growing on the cool high elevation slopes of the Ailao National Forest Preserve. The biodiversity and well established root stock makes for deeply nuanced and complex tea, normally reserve for pressing and aging as sheng pu’er. This experimental offering is a new project by the cooperative to hand fire over low heat in a wok for a more classic Dian Hong style. The application of heat makes this more closely related to other Yunnan Black, and indeed it shares a rich sweet potato thickness similar to our Yunnan Golden Fleece, but with Qianjiazhai’s signature tulsi complexity and touches of citrus, and florals.
Tasting Profile
- savory - steamed bun, brown sugar
- fruit - currant, goji
- spice - redwood, bamboo
- floral - jasmine
- texture - velvety, rich
the Dongsa Cooperative also recommends:
'While Mr. Zhou is a recognized teacher of tea craft (and 4th grade cursive) in Qianjiazhai, we had the privilige to actually meet one of his own teachers, a kind but formidable woman in her mid-nineties who has mastered two distinct techniques for making Qianjiazhai’s uniquely complex and nuanced black tea'
Steeping Instructions
Western
4 g.6-8
oz.use 208° watersteep 20 secondsresteep many times
add 10 sec. each infusionGongfu
5 g.6 ozuse 208° watersteep 6 seconds
add 3 sec. per steepingenjoy many steepingsIced/Cold
4 g.12
oz.use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
8 hoursadd ice & enjoy