TBAI024 - Manwa Yesheng Yabao 2025

Product detailed description

Wild tea buds from the Manwa tea village (慢瓦) at Bada Tea Mountain (巴达山). Tea was harvested in early spring 2025 (Zaochun 早春). Manwa village is located approximately 8 km from Zhanglang village (章朗村), one of the most famous and oldest villages in Menghai County (勐海县) with more than 1400 years history. The tea buds come from wild tea trees (yesheng 野生), which were collected across Manwa tea gardens at the elevation about 1700 m.a.s.l. The tea buds are considered as a seasonal delicacy and "lady's tea" (Nurencha 女人茶), due to its intense floral fragrance and exceptionally sweet taste with no astrigency. Traditionally, the tea buds are quite small and has distinctive yellow-green-red-pink colors, one of the visual character of the wild tea trees. This tea is suitable for daily drinking and best for short-term archivation (we recommend to drink it within several years). 

The tea was generously provided by Yukan, tea farmer from Bulang tribe (布朗族) from Manwa village, which we know since 2011. During our Xishuangbanna work trip in early 2025, we have also met several times to discuss Bulang tea traditions, compare the harvests across Menghai tea mountains and consult current trends in Xishuangbanna tea industry.

Aroma:

• Wet + dry leaf (Shicha 湿茶 + Gancha 干茶) - intense flower scent with sweet pastry tones
• Cup aroma imprint (Guabeixiang 挂杯香) - veggie, fruity and sweet honey tones

Color:

• Initial phase (< 5 infusions) - transparent white-yellow shades
• Development phase (> 5 infusions) - brighter yellow-green shades
  

Taste:

• Initial phase (< 5 infusions) - fresh fruit (strawberries, pears, apples, thai mangoes, quinces and lime), sweet pastry (cotton candy, marshmellow, turkish honey, nugat) and fresh veggie (cucumber lemonade, mint lemonade and nettles) with spring flower tones (daisy and black locust)
• Advanced phase (> 5 infusions) - fresh spices (green pepper and clove), nutty paste (sweet almonds, lotus seeds and peanut butter) with tones of white yoghurt, strawberry chewing gums and vanilla icecream
  

Body: 

• Thickness (Naipao 耐泡) - exceptionally solid vitality, which will allow you to make more infusions
• Texture (Chunhounongyu 醇厚浓郁) - smooth body with so many layers of flavours
• Astringency (Se 涩) - none
• Character (Kutianjiaozhi 苦甜交织) - Bada teas have distinctive juicy and citrusy character, yet, this yabao has very rich pallete of flavours even in comparision with other Bada wild tea buds (yesheng yabao 野生芽苞)
• Balance (Zonghe pinghengdu 综合平衡度) - differences between particular layers of flavours are gradual and surprising (i.e. sudden changes in between infusions)

Aftertaste:

• Sweetness (Huigan 回甘) - strong and intense sweeteness within hours
• Mouthful feeling (Shengjin 生津) - intense mouth-water-feeling within hours
• Energy feeling (Nenglianggan 能量感) - noticable calming and cooling effect within hours