Tong Mu Guan Wild Red 2021 No.652

The first black teas of the world came from Tong Mu village, this place lays close to the edge of the Wuyi mountains. This outstanding tea is made of 100 years old wild local cultivar, the bushes grow 1100-1200 meters above sea level, in volcanic, mineral soil. This cultivar is a really slow-growing one, which grows its roots to the subsoil, thus the tea of it will be extremely tasteful with a long-lasting, mineral aftertaste.

Tong Mu village is a World Heritage Site today, it was founded at the beginning of the XVII. century, in a really high and narrow place. The locals couldn’t produce anything, but bamboo and tea in that old times. They had to sell a lot of teas to buy food and stuff for their life. At that time the green tea was the only tea product in the world. The story of the first black tea is also related to Tong Mu. According to the legend, one army crossed the village, at the time of the tea harvest. The locals run away and found shelter in the forest nearby. The soldiers ate the local’s foods and lay on the harvested teas, rested a bit, and then went away. When the locals went back to the village, they had to use these crushed and oxidated leaves, thus was born the first black tea.

The most famous black tea around the Wuyi mountains is the Lapsang Suchong, they make this in two different types with two different smoking. The first one – which is most known in the western world – is made with pine smoke and the smokiness of that is extremely intense. The other type – which is popular in the inner Chinese market – has a really nice and sweet world of taste with fruitiness. Our new Tong Mu Guan tea is of the second type. Another interesting fact is that the idea of the Earl Grey teas is also based on the slightly citrusy, and flowery  Lapsang Suchong.

Tasting notes:
Steamed gaiwan: it reminds us of gentle oolongs, flowery, quality chocolate, cocoa biscuit
Tastes, feelings: At the first steeping (85 ºC) we found some sweet potato, tomato, and buttery biscuit taste. Later, at the second steeping (90 ºC) the classic black tea tastes came into view; citrus, light green character, flowers, happiness. We felt at the third one, that this tea is really good for the stomach. It had a long after taste. We found ourselves in the middle of trees. The feeling is like, relaxing around the campfire.

Preparing Instructions:

Quantity: 5-6 grams per 150ml.
Water temperature: 85-90ºC. From fresh spring water or filtered water.
Brewing time: 15-20…seconds
Infusions: 8-10