Meng Ding Mountain area of Sichuan (near Ya'an) is known for its high mountains, clean air, and misty peaks. Meng Ding mountain area is the home of many Daoist temples and is considered by some to be the birthplace of tea! The Meng Ding mountains consist of five peaks: Shang Qing (上清), Ling Jiao (菱角), Pi Luo (毗罗), Jing Quan (井泉) and Gan Lu (甘露). Our Gan Lu "Sweet Dew" is grown on the slopes of the Gan Lu mountain at an elevation of 450 meters and is a Pre-Qing Ming pluck (early March typically). The taste is sweet, with notes of orchid, fruit and grass. The aroma is high and pure. The leaves are processed by several rounds of short low temperature pan frying, then kneaded to "break the mass" and allow the flavor of the tea to come out. The kneading process also eventually gives the tea its curly shape! Finally the tea is baked to dry it and stop the oxidation process. This is all done in a very short period of time and although the process sounds simple, the proper execution requires the skills of a dedicated master tea processor. We recommend brewing this with 80-85C water. You can gong fu it, or use a larger glass teapot or flask if you prefer longer steeps (if you do, plan to use less tea). Varietal: 川茶9号 - Chuan Cha #9 Region: Gan Lu Mountain in the Meng Ding Mountains (Ya'an, Sichuan) Harvest time: Late February to Early March
