Verdant Tea

This special sampler features five 25g bags of golden buddy looseleaf tea. There is nothing like tender downy tea buds, hand-picked in cool early-season weather and hand finished by passionate small family growers. Buds have a unique flavor, and an intense sweetness from the stored sugars and the extremely limited sun exposure. In traditionally crafted black tea this flavor translates to honey, sweet potato, toasty bread, and other rich deep caramelized notes with a thick commanding texture. This tasting kit is an exploration of all the ways buds bring flavor and texture to tea from three different regions and three different farmers dedicated to sustainable farming and meticulous craft.

This iridescent rose gold cup is the result of years of research and experimentation by award-winning master potter Lin Xi. The iridescent rose-gold forms under the high heat of Lin Xi’s kiln firing a glaze that Lin Xi personally sourced and blended from an original Shui Ji mineral deposit used in the Song Dynasty. The iridescent effect reflects the formation of a rare kind of iron oxide under the heat of the kiln, not an effect that is painted on. This unique cup was fully hand-thrown and fired in tiny batches dependent on the whims of weather and kiln heat patterns to achieve the desired effect. This larger format cup is a true collectors piece, with Lin Xi’s one-man studio only able to produce very few cups that meet his exacting standards of perfection.