Verdant Tea

2023 Reserve Laoshan Gongfu Black

2023 Reserve Laoshan Gongfu Black

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True Competition-Level
Black Tea from Laoshan
The earliest, sweetest, most delicate harvest of the year, meticulously hand-rolled and twisted in the style of high-end Wuyi tea. The Gongfu finish brings out notes of nutmeg, malt, chocolate, and honey.
April 2023 ♦ Laoshan, Shandong
True Competition-Level
Black Tea from Laoshan
The earliest, sweetest, most delicate harvest of the year, meticulously hand-rolled and twisted in the style of high-end Wuyi tea. The Gongfu finish brings out notes of nutmeg, malt, chocolate, and honey.
April 2023 ♦ 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 PICKINGApril 2023
    • 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 year, the He Family has reserved a small harvest of a very special grade of Laoshan Gongfu Black. The hand-twisted 'pine needles' are made with the buddy early harvest shade-grown picking, while the tea plants are still protected from the early spring cold of Laoshan's unique northern climate.

  • true
    80
    malt, chocolate
    true
    75
    fennel, nutmeg, star anise
    true
    55
    cherry
    true
    60
    honey, vanilla
    true
    lingering, honeyed

    Tasting Profile

    • savory - malt, chocolate
    • spice - fennel, nutmeg, star anise
    • fruit - cherry
    • floral - honey, vanilla
    • texture - lingering, honeyed

The He Family also recommends:

Spring 2023 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
making Reserve Flat Pressed Laoshan green
fresh 2023 Laoshan tea leaves
spring 2023 Laoshan tea plants
brewing fresh Laoshan green tea
fresh picked Laoshan tea buds

photos courtesy of He Qingqing, April 2023

  • '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
making Reserve Flat Pressed Laoshan green
fresh 2023 Laoshan tea leaves
spring 2023 Laoshan tea plants
brewing fresh Laoshan green tea
fresh picked Laoshan tea buds

photos courtesy of He Qingqing, April 2023

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