THNG027 - Mengsong Ziya Gushu Hongcha 2023

Product detailed description

Fresh Yunnan red tea dried on the sun from the Mengsong village (勐宋) in the Damenglong (大勐龙) a micro-region at the borders between China and Myanmar. The tea was harvested and produced in Spring 2025. The tea leaves come from ancient wild tea trees (紫芽-古树), harvested during the first spring picking (头春), gathered deep in the Damenglong forests at an elevation of over 1600 m.a.s.l. The cover features a graphic design depicting the tea leaves of this very rare small-leaf tea cultivar (小叶种), which was first documented in 2018, and successfully processed in 2023 for the first time. This is a true tea rarity, with only about 20 kg produced annually.

The tea was generously provided by Liu Chengdong, one of the certified tea masters (Lvl 2, Gaoji Zhichashi 高级制茶师), one of the highest level with better understanding of the tea processing and other techniques elegible for a senior tea technician), former police officer and chairman of the Xishuangbanna Tea Industry Association (西双版纳州茶业协会), whom we firstly met during our work trip to Xishuangbanna at the beginning of 2025. Liu comes from Hani tribe (哈尼族) and apart from tea production, he also teaches students and share his wisdom with new generation of Xishuangbanna tea masters. During our second work trip to Xishuangbanna at the end of 2025, we have spent quite a lot of time with Liu by discussing ongoing development pathways for Xishuangbanna tea industry, evolution of tea competitions and tea tasting of his excellent teas.

Aroma: honey, fruit, spices, and sweet pastry

Color: ochre–honey, sparkling and transparent

Taste: fruity marmalade, dried orange peel, and sweet raisins, sweet pastry

Body: juicy, thick, smooth

Aftertaste: intense watering-mouth feeling and pronounced sweetness