Tongmu is one of the most famous tea growing regions in the world, and this tea shows why. While classic Wuyi Gongfu Black is full of rich sweet savory flavors and honey in the aftertaste, only a Tongmu harvest like this one can have such intense cooling forest flavors and lingering yun sensations to complement the natural mouth-watering minerality.

The aroma of roasting chestnut and deep cozy mulling spice come forward as soon as water is poured over the leaves. The first infusion feels like eating caramelized tender bamboo shoot stir fried by Li Xiangxi's aunt at the family home in Tongmu, surrounded by the aromatic pine structure of their house. In the aftertaste, there is a hint of candied citrus a a floral touch of gardenia.

As the tea steeps out, the cooling tingling sensations build up in the back of the throat and on the tongue deepening the intensity of each brew until the tea seems to sparkle. In late steepings the juicy texture and honeyed sweetness are carried on a creamy aromatic backbone reminiscent of coconut milk. The aroma lingers on the tongue long after the tea is steeped out.

This 2022 harvest is a beautifully classic and focused meditation on the importance of place and the character of wild tea.