Verdant Tea

2024 Spring Laoshan Gongfu Black

2024 Spring Laoshan Gongfu Black

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Hand-Twisted Craft Black Tea
First flat-pressed, then hand twisted, Laoshan Gongfu Black is a difficult finish that brings out sparkling minerality in Laoshan tea. Notes of vanilla, mully spice, chocolate cake and cherry.
First flat-pressed, then hand twisted, Laoshan Gongfu Black is a difficult finish that brings out sparkling minerality in Laoshan tea. Now available to reserve on pre-order!
May 2024 ♦ Laoshan, Shandong
ETA: end of June ♦ Laoshan, Shandong
Hand-Twisted Craft Black Tea
First flat-pressed, then hand twisted, Laoshan Gongfu Black is a difficult finish that brings out sparkling minerality in Laoshan tea. Notes of vanilla, mully spice, chocolate cake and cherry.
First flat-pressed, then hand twisted, Laoshan Gongfu Black is a difficult finish that brings out sparkling minerality in Laoshan tea. Now available to reserve on pre-order!
May 2024 ♦ Laoshan, Shandong
ETA: end of June ♦ Laoshan, Shandong
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Crafted By the He Family

Pioneers and community leaders, the He Family is dedicated to making a name for their stunningly smooth, malty, rich teas cultivated in China’s coldest, northernmost growing region.
 
Grown using old-school organic farming techniques on the rocky foothills of Laoshan, protected by ocean mist and fed by sweet spring water.
    • DATE OF PICKINGMay 2024
    • Laoshan VillageShandong Province
    • ELEVATIONsea level
    • longjing quntiTea Varietal

    Laoshan Gongfu Black is one of the most difficult finishes for the He Family, requiring flat-pressing and hand-twisting and curling to achieve the final shape and finish. Mr. He saves this technique for his finest spring harvests, and this spring, the He Family is setting aside an early May harvest to finish as this year's classic Gongfu Black for a creamy honey sweetness and a mineral-driven aftertaste.

  • true
    80
    red velvet chocolate cake
    true
    70
    mulling spice
    true
    70
    candied cherry
    true
    55
    vanilla mousse
    true
    silky

    Tasting Profile

    • savory - red velvet chocolate cake
    • spice - mulling spice
    • fruit - candied cherry
    • floral - vanilla mousse
    • texture - silky

the He Family also recommends:

Spring 2024 Update from the Fields

Cold weather in Laoshan means smaller yields, and a long season of shade-grown covered green tea before the protective greenhouse coverings come down. 

A very mild spring with very little rainfall has made for particularly concentrated creamy textural green tea and black tea. Cool weather persisted longer than usual, which kept protective shaded coverings on through April. This meant slow growth, but particularly tender sweet buds.

Not only is He Qingqing busy helping her parents finish this spring's fresh tea, but she and her husband are also celebrating the arrival of their son Liu Mu-Mu, just a few months old and already helping with the fresh Flat Pressed Laoshan Green.

Congratulations to the He Family for a wonderful spring season!

Liu Jiaqi with her brother Mu Mu
fresh picked Laoshan tea buds
fresh 2023 Laoshan tea leaves
making Reserve Laoshan Biluochun green
brewing fresh Laoshan green tea
spring 2023 Laoshan tea plants

photos courtesy of He Qingqing, April 2024

  • 'The initial aromas are full of rich, tangy goji berry, raisin, and savory roasted chestnut. For us, the initial sips had the thick pastry like quality of croissant with deep chocolate flavor. As we continued steeping out the tea, we got dark fruit and hearty bran flavor with a big, thick honey aftertaste and texture. In the latest steepings we tasted toasted marshmallow and graham'

  • 5
    6-8
    205
    30 seconds
    15-30
    5
    4
    205
    8 seconds
    3-4
    5
    12
    room temp
    8 hours

    Steeping Instructions

    Western

    5 g.6-8
    oz.
    use 205° watersteep 30 secondsresteep many times
    add 15-30 sec. each infusion

    Gongfu

    5 g.4 ozuse 205° watersteep 8 seconds
    add 3-4 sec. per steeping
    enjoy many steepings

    Iced/Cold

    5 g.12
    oz.
    use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
    8 hours
    add ice & enjoy

Product Photo Gallery

Liu Jiaqi with her brother Mu Mu
fresh picked Laoshan tea buds
fresh 2023 Laoshan tea leaves