“I’ll always spring for trying my black teas gongfu, but I always enjoy them better in a mug. Waste of leaf or not. I got a dry cocoa immediately, subsequent sips sweetening it to a dark chocolate....” Read full tasting note
ORIGIN: Qiao Ban Village, Zhejiang, China
GPS: 30.0°N 118.9°E ALT. 890m – 1300m
TASTING NOTES: Cacao | Dark Fruit | Oak
This delicious tea, rich in notes of cacao, dark fruit and oak, was handcrafted in a humble mountain facility. The buds and leaves are beautifully selected, the former covered in golden down. Octogenarian Wen Xin Zhou, patriarch of the village, is an avid daily drinker of this high altitude and low intensity agriculture tea.
ABOUT THE GROWER
Wen Xing Zhou and his wife Zhan Zi Mei live in a remote village with no road access where they harvest leaves from semi-wild bushes that are 70-80 years old. The village lies high in the mountains, and the altitudes and cool weather produce a very small but highly prized yield of tea leaves each year. Despite approaching his eightieth year, Mr Wen insists on harvesting and processing all his teas by hand. The resulting teas are truly unique and some of the best we have ever tasted. This tea is specifically crafted for personal consumption by Mr. Zhou.
O stands for our obsession with Origin. We travel the world building strong bonds with farmers and sourcing rare tea from remote villages. We want your cup to tell the story of the earth on which the tea grew and the hands that lovingly harvested each leaf. FIVE represents Natureʼs elements: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire and Void. In harmony, these elements express tea leaves into an outstanding cup. Welcome to our tea bar! We see it as a space to host friends, share and experiment.