{"title":"Anxi Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eAnxi, in Southern Fujian Province, is where oolong originates from.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Anxi oolongs we offer are from increasingly scarce old groves of tea trees, crafted following traditional methods.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"baiya-qilan-oolong","title":"Semi Wild Baiya Qilan","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe buds of Baiya Qilan trees famously give off the scent of orchids, and are such a pale green, they appear white. The varietal was named during the Ming Dynasty by Chen Yuanhe, son of the emperor, who was amazed to find these unique trees growing deep within the mountains of Fujian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBaiya Qilan's remote origin has meant that its cultivation and crafting has not been influenced by popular tastes that influence present day tea production. This one, crafted by tea veteran Chen Huoping, is a perfect example. A native to Pengxi Village, Chen once worked in the research department of the Pengxi County Tea Company, before devoting himself to crafting tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we visited Chen at his family home he wanted us to see his highest elevation tea gardens, but on account of the heavy rain that day we never made it. There are no roads for cars or motorcycles to these tea gardens, and the hills are very steep to climb on foot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea comes from semi-wild trees that grow slightly lower, at 2,200 ft elevation. Chen explained that, as he got older, he gave up on making \"uninteresting tea.\" For him this meant combining the traditional hand-picking of wild leaves, manual bruising, hand rolling, and slow roasting over lychee charcoal. When crafting tea this way the cost is much higher, and the yield is lower, but this, he says, is what makes it interesting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have to agree with Chen; this is a very captivating oolong. The leaves thicken the water, causing its soft, floral fragrance to spread slowly and evenly across the palate. Its very distinct orchid notes are complimented by a complex minerality that gives way to a sweet, sustained aftertaste. It slows our enjoyment of it, and offers much to consider.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":28131632742505,"sku":"","price":28.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":28138385703017,"sku":"","price":56.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":32100907614313,"sku":"","price":90.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/20260316_Cultivate_18277_WEB_5d755f7e-3a71-4f20-bd9d-2bb0ba50f361.jpg?v=1774101053"},{"product_id":"golden-cassia","title":"Golden Cassia","description":"\u003cp\u003eTogether with Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy), Maoxie, Meizhan, and Buddha's Hand, Golden Cassia is one of the key indigenous varietals of oolong in Southern Fujian. Anxi is a mountainous region: there are 2943 mountain peaks here that measure above over 3000 ft in elevation, and tea cultivation here dates back more than two thousand years, to the Northern Song Dynasty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnxi's subtropical marine climate brings temperate weather across all seasons and consistent precipitation, ideal for tea trees. The lateritic red soil here, formed by the weathering of the dense rocky terrain, is also very well suited for the growth of tea trees, and is extremely high in minerals like iron and aluminum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeizhuang Village in Anxi, Fujian is one of three villages where Golden Cassia originates from. Its fresh buds are tinted yellow, and the trees are known for their osmanthus-like fragrance. The Chinese name for Golden Cassia is 黄金桂. The first character means \"yellow,\" the second \"gold,\" and the third, \"osmanthus.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether or not you are familiar with this varietal will depend on where you live. It has long been most common for Golden Cassia from Meizhuang Village to be exported to Japanese and Southeast Asian markets, and is much less common elsewhere in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Golden Cassia is crafted by Master Lin Zhenwen, a generational tea farmer of Meizhuang Village. He is one of the few \"old masters\" in the village, known for having the highest skill at crafting oolong. Master Lin crafts his Golden Cassia using the traditional regional method: the tea sees 4 rounds of \"yaoqing,\" (bruising) followed by slow-fired charcoal roasting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is beautiful to watch the leaves open in the gaiwan, like crumpled pages that tell the story of their making: they are marked with varying colours by the bruising process, and creased by the constriction that came from their roasting. This oolong has a deep, warm and floral fragrance while its taste is gentle and sweet. It is enveloping, while still being very light on the palate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":32103940358249,"sku":"","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":32103940391017,"sku":"","price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":32103940456553,"sku":"","price":78.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/goldencassia.jpg?v=1774101329"},{"product_id":"black-oolong","title":"Black Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eTea master Lin Zhengwen made this tea based on memories of a hybrid oolong he had tried in the 1980's called \"Red Water.\" Since 2017 he has been committed to crafting a modern version of that tea, calling it Black Oolong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafting this tea follows every step for traditional Fujian oolong, but deviates slightly. The tea leaves are shaken and bruised more vigorously than usual, and are allowed to oxidize more than an oolong usually would be, leaning towards the oxidation level of a black tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLin Zhengwen makes this tea with Golden Cassia leaves harvested from his high elevation tea farm in Anxi. After the leaves are oxidized, they are roasted over charcoal. This batch underwent two rounds of charcoal roasting, with the second round taking place after the tea had been aged for 2 months.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time the tea is finished the leaves are pitch black. They smell toasty and metallic in the gaiwan. Their long oxidization has brought out tannins that give the liquor impressive structure, offsetting the viscous minerality of the Golden Cassia varietal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitially, its taste strikes us as a very deep and roasty oolong, but it finishes with the distinct caramelized sweetness of a black tea. This is a tasty, fascinating and very soothing tea. Its simultaneous ability to comfort and clarify is well suited to the transition from summer to autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":32100918526057,"sku":"","price":26.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":32100918558825,"sku":"","price":50.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":32100918591593,"sku":"","price":96.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/20260316_Cultivate_19003_WEB.jpg?v=1774038236"},{"product_id":"old-grove-shuixian-2019","title":"Semi Wild Old Grove Shuixian","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis tea comes to us from tea historian and forager, Mei, who seeks indigenous and forgotten Shuixian and Buddha's Hand growing throughout the jungles of Yongchun, Fujian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShuixian is one of the most well-known oolong varietals. Its origin can be traced to the Jianyang District in the northern part of the Fujian province, where it was discovered around 1600 as a tea tree that produced exceptionally fragrant oolongs. It was then brought to the Wuyishan area, where it was cultivated, and where most shuixians today come from.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYongchun shuixian differs from Wuyishan shuixian primarily in its craftmanship. The fresh leaves are less oxidized, and go through several rounds of longer and slower roasting. The leaves for this tea were foraged by a group of 9 local villagers from a small grove on Yinshi Mountain, within the protected Water Conservation area. The trees were planted in the 1940's and abandoned, growing wild ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea was then handcrafted by Mr. Liu, one of the most earnest and dedicated tea makers that we've met. It was slow roasted over charcoal in four rounds, bringing out the sweetness and distinct aromatics of the varietal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis oolong is extremely complex and ever changing in the glass. We find notes of orchid, fresh pandan, stone fruit, deep minerals, wildflower honey and a very long-lingering sweetness. It might be the perfect example of a Fujian shuixian.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":32459988041833,"sku":"","price":50.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":32459988074601,"sku":"","price":100.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/semiwildshuixian.jpg?v=1774101414"},{"product_id":"yongchun-buddha-s-hand-first-day-harvest-2019","title":"Semi Wild Buddha's Hand","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis oolong comes to us from tea historian and forager, Mei, who seeks indigenous and forgotten Shuixian and Buddha's Hand growing throughout the jungles of Yongchun, Fujian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe origin of Buddha's Hand tea can be traced back to an ancient temple on Shifeng Cliff, Yongchun. Fingered citron, a very fragrant and unusual looking citrus fruit, is a common offering in temples. Soon after the temple was built in the late 1600's, monks planted fingered citron trees to worship Buddha. They also planted tea trees, as they drank tea daily while meditating. The story goes that, one monk thought it would be nice to have a tea with citrus scent. He grafted branches of a tea tree onto the fingered citron tree, carefully cared for it, and successfully made tea from the leaves. It is said that these tea leaves were \"as big as Buddha's hands,\" and carried the natural scent of fingered citron. There are still 89 mother Buddha's Hand trees, all over 300 years old, surrounding the temple today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Buddha's Hand is from old groves of tea trees on Yinshi Mountain, one of the highest peaks in Yongchun. The trees were planted in the 1940's, and only discovered a few years ago. Because of the high altitude and remoteness of its location, these tea trees had been left to grow in the wild, with no human intervention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make this tea, very young leaves were harvested on the second day of the season, as these tender leaves produce tea that is exceptionally sweet and milky. The fresh leaves are foraged by a small group of nine local villagers, and handcrafted by Mr. Liu, one of the most earnest and dedicated tea makers we've ever encountered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting tea is one of our all-time favourite oolongs. It is sweet, smooth, floral, milky and complex. All of its attributes are very well balanced, giving this tea depth and an integrated profile. It opens with floral and nutty notes, reminiscent of roasted sunflower seeds and fresh fava beans. Later infusions reveal fruity notes, like apricot and pear, with a mouthcoating sweetness similar to an ice wine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":32459984109673,"sku":"","price":50.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":32459984142441,"sku":"","price":100.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/semiwildbuddhand.jpg?v=1774101381"},{"product_id":"2020-charcoal-roasted-semi-wild-buddhas-hand","title":"Charcoal Roasted Buddha's Hand","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis heritage oolong comes to us from tea historian and forager, Mei, who seeks indigenous and forgotten Shuixian and Buddha's Hand growing throughout the jungles of Yongchun, Fujian. The origin of Buddha's Hand tea can be traced back to an ancient temple on Shifeng Cliff, Yongchun. Fingered citron, a very fragrant and unusual looking citrus fruit, is a common offering in temples. Soon after the temple was built in the late 1600's, monks planted fingered citron trees to worship Buddha. They also planted tea trees, as they drank tea daily while meditating. The story goes that, one monk thought it would be nice to have a tea with citrus scent. He grafted branches of a tea tree onto the fingered citron tree, carefully cared for it, and successfully made tea from the leaves. It is said that these tea leaves were \"as big as Buddha's hands,\" and carried the natural scent of fingered citron. There are still 89 mother Buddha's Hand trees, all over 300 years old, surrounding the temple today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Charcoal Roasted Buddha's Hand is foraged from old groves of tea trees on Yinshi Mountain, one of the highest peaks in Yongchun. The trees were planted in the 1940's, and only discovered a few years ago. Because of the high altitude and remoteness of its location, these tea trees had been left to grow in the wild, with no human intervention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo make this tea, very young leaves were harvested on the second day of the season, as these tender leaves produce tea that is exceptionally sweet and milky. The fresh leaves are foraged by a small group of nine local villagers, and handcrafted by Mr. Liu, one of the most earnest and dedicated tea makers we've ever encountered. The leaves are slowly roasted over charcoal in four rounds. The result is an oolong that has great depth and complexity. Its warm smokey notes are complimented by bright citrusy and floral notes, finishing with a soft creaminess that sticks to the palate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":47060923089176,"sku":"","price":45.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":47060923121944,"sku":"","price":90.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/charcoalroastedbuddhahand.jpg?v=1774101583"},{"product_id":"charcoal-roasted-oolong","title":"Charcoal Roasted Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis oolong is crafted by Lin Zhenwen, a well known tea master throughout Anxi for his skill in charcoal roasting. When done well, this technique coaxes various degrees of sweetness, fragrance and complexity from the tea leaves, becoming like a signature made on the tea. Every craftsman has a different one, and you will find Master Lin's distinct touch here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is a blend of 3 different oolong varietals that grow in Master Lin's tea garden in Meizhuang Village. His intention with this tea was to craft a delicious traditional oolong suitable for everyday drinking. It was roasted in small batches, suspended in bamboo baskets over charcoal for 4 rounds over the course of 2 months. We taste this tea both for the fragrant Anxi tea leaves, and for how delicately they have been exposed to heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a sweet and balanced year for this tea. We find fruity notes and a soft, long lasting sweetness. Its tannic structure emerges slowly, lifting the weight of the liquor into the centre of the palate. By the third infusion the dark roasted leaves have opened entirely and their charming character is fully expressed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":40114213519465,"sku":"","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":40114213552233,"sku":"","price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":40114213585001,"sku":"","price":78.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/615A3046.jpg?v=1726705452"},{"product_id":"old-grove-shuixian-2022","title":"Old Grove Shuixian 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the Southern Fujian Province there is a lesser known region, bordering Anxi in the South and Dehua in the North, called Yongchun. Yongchun has a surprising number of old grove tea trees that are now more than 60 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Shuixian comes from the White Crane Mountain Nature Reserve, located in the middle of Yongchun County. The tea trees on this mountain were planted in the 1960's, and most of them are around 60 years old. The rise in agriculture throughout the area in the 1990's, coupled with the sudden success of the Tieguanyin tea market, meant that almost all the tea farmers working with Buddha's Hand and Shuixian abandoned their trees in the mountains. The trees have since formed small groves, and have self-sustained, unattended in the wilderness, ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAside from its semi-wildness, the special thing about this Shuixian is the unusual way it has been processed. Most of the time Shuixian oolongs are roasted over charcoal for 4 rounds, however his Shuixian did not receive any charcoal roasting. Instead, it was baked at low heat very slowly, for over 30 hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis extended process has revealed qualities inherent to the Shuixian varietal we rarely experience. Without the charcoal notes colouring the tea, we see how sweet and woody this varietal is on its own. This more delicate process also emphasizes the unique terroir of White Crane Mountain, and the particular mineral quality it has imparted to the tea trees that grow there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were very pleasantly surprised by this experimental tea, and appreciate the opportunity to encounter this varietal in a new way. We still find the grassy complexity distinct to shuixian in the glass, balanced by the warmth, texture and depth of Old Grove oolong.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":44133681332504,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":44133681365272,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/oldgroveshuixian.jpg?v=1774101449"},{"product_id":"old-grove-buddhas-hand-2022","title":"Old Grove Buddha's Hand 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the Southern Fujian Province there is a lesser known region, bordering Anxi in the South and Dehua in the North, called Yongchun. Yongchun has a surprising number of old grove tea trees that are now more than 60 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis oolong comes from the White Crane Mountain Nature Reserve, located in the middle of Yongchun County. The tea trees on this mountain were planted in the 1960's, and most of them are around 60 years old. The rise in agriculture throughout the area in the 1990's, coupled with the sudden success of the Tieguanyin tea market, meant that almost all the tea farmers working with Buddha's Hand and Shuixian abandoned their trees in the mountains. The trees have since formed small groves, and have self-sustained, unattended in the wilderness, ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Buddha's Hand has long, broad leaves and a formidable character. Its taste is immediately sweet and warm, like corn syrup, or even cotton candy. Notes of lemon and roasted nuts become gradually more distinct through infusions. Its strong, direct qualities reflect the balanced and generous ecosystem from which it comes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":44133714788632,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":44133714821400,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/oldgrovebuddhashand.jpg?v=1774101494"},{"product_id":"yongchun-rougui","title":"Yongchun Rougui","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor the last decade our friend Mei has trekked almost all of the mountains and peaks of Yongchun. She has come across abandoned tea trees deep in the mountains, and remote small scale tea farms that are still in operation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis rougui is an experimental tea from one of these small scale farms. The craftsman brought over trees of the Rougui varietal from the Wuyi Mountains, where they are indigenous, and planted them in the protected Water Reservoir Area of Yongchun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis high-altitude area is a jungle, with interconnected trees branching over the edges of the lakes and rivers. The soil here is very unique, made up of mostly small, weathered granite rocks, which offer the ideal drainage for oolong varietals. Mainly shuixian tea trees grow on this mountain, alongside a small number of Buddha's Hand trees. Up until around 10 years ago, when these trees were planted, there had never been a known rougui tree here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis transplanted varietal offers us a unique experience of rougui, sustained by a completely new terroir. We find that, without the specific and concentrated minerals of the Wuyi Mountains, we taste the unusual sweetness and softness of this robust varietal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a far more lighthearted tea than what we would expect from a rougui. Some of the varietal's characteristic minerality is still there, but that structure is washed over by a velvety mouthfeel we usually see in other Yongchun oolongs, like Shuixian and Buddha's Hand. It has a saliva-producing, grassy sweetness, with notes of cigar leaf, caramel and smoke.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":44133743493400,"sku":null,"price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":44133743526168,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/yongchunrougui.jpg?v=1774101538"},{"product_id":"dinosaur-egg-oolong","title":"\"Dinosaur Egg\" Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eSince 2019, tea master Lin Zhenwen has made between 10 to12 Dinosaur Eggs each year, depending on how much fresh tea he can forage from his grove of semi wild Golden Cassia Oolong trees in Southern Fujian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery stage of the process that results in this remarkable heritage tea, from harvesting the leaves to shaping it, to bundling it in canvas cloth, is done skillfully by hand. Its craftsmanship showcases both the beauty of the 60 year old semi-wild trees it comes from, and the endangered practice of handcrafting oolongs in the Anxi region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDinosaur Egg tea is so rare because it can only be made by the tea master Lin Zhenwen himself, and each step is extremely labour intensive. Aside from the skilful and repetitive rolling, kneading, pressing and rubbing done to gradually shape it into an egg, the charcoal roasting that finishes it is done in 6 rounds, each lasting over 20 hours. Roughly six pounds of fresh tea leaves will make one single one-pound Dinosaur Egg.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tradition of making this egg shaped oolong started in the Qing Dynasty, but the craft has nearly disappeared over the past 30 years, as a younger generation who grew up with tea machinery no longer knows how to knead tea by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is crafted so that it could be aged for hundreds of years, but even in its youth its complexity is striking. Beneath its delicate mouthfeel is an immense depth of character. It is fruity and floral and, although its low notes haven't fully developed as they one day will, it delivers a powerful and saliva invoking \"taste of the grove.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDinosaur Egg offers us a warm and gentle experience of time travel, incensed by the woody notes of Golden Cassia oolong. This 2024 harvest brews a crystal clear, champagne coloured liquor that tastes light, but leaves a lasting impression in both our minds and our mouths.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an excellent tea for aging, that you will enjoy checking on periodically as it matures. The longer it is aged, the smoother, sweeter and more complex it will get. It is known to have a noticeable transformation in its character every 5 years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":49121737015576,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/615A3633_1a1665c0-4442-41fe-bba6-fd82cc8b01bc.jpg?v=1726530158"},{"product_id":"autumn-tieguanyin","title":"Autumn Tieguanyin","description":"\u003cp\u003eTieguanyin: quite possibly the most famous oolong in the world, and yet, one that Cultivate has never carried. The reason for this is simply that, amidst such a saturated market, we have never found an example of this popular tea that is traditionally crafted, and that we absolutely love – that is, until now!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything happens in its own time, and we are at long last able to share with you an Autumn Tieguanyin we are thrilled by. It comes to us from Shimen Village, in Gande, Anxi at 3200 ft elevation; the most famous region for Tieguanyin in the world. It is crafted by Master Wu Xiaoquan, now in his late seventies, who has been crafting tea for over 5 decades, and whose family has lived in Shimen for generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis authentic Tieguanyin is from a very small batch that he specially crafted for Cultivate. The leaves are from Master Wu's personal tea garden, where the tea trees are roughly 20 years old, which is considered \"old grove\" in this region. They were harvested on October 18, 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vast majority of modern Tieguanyin is produced from young tea trees and tastes much like a very floral green tea. We requested that Master Wu follow traditional methods of craftsmanship for this Tieguanyin, meaning the leaves would be allowed to oxidize for a longer period of time, and would see four rounds of \"bruising,\" before being slowly baked over charcoal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe quality of the tea that Master Wu has produced is truly amazing, so much so that we take no issue with having had to wait 10 years to acquire it. The leaves are a deep, mottled rust colour that glow as soon as they touch water. The liquor they brew is crystal clear and tinted a rich, golden hue. The tea has an elegant orchid fragrance held by the clean scent of charcoal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sensation of drinking this tea is so wild: it seems to open inside our mouths like an alien species of flower. We taste it in the middle of the tongue first, and then it blooms, touching every part of the palate. The striking clarity of the liquor foreshadows the clarity of its taste. None of its charcoal notes weigh it down, instead, it expands and expands –  as light as it is heavy, as forward as it is backward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can't think of a tea we have tasted where the varietal, the terroir and the craftsmanship are so balanced we can not contemplate them as separate things when we taste it. For this Autumn Tieguanyin the sum is far greater than its parts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExperiencing this tea has made it clear to us why Tieguanyin is one of the most prized and well known oolongs in the world. It has been a rewarding lesson in \"never say never\" for Cultivate that has left us smiling.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":49615658844440,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"8g Pack","offer_id":49683066355992,"sku":"","price":24.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/cultivate-tea-jan-14-web-v3-7597.jpg?v=1738012323"}],"url":"https:\/\/cultivatetea.com\/collections\/southern-fujian-oolong\/flavour-refreshing.oembed","provider":"Cultivate Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}