Organic Tong Mu Phoenix Tree Lapsang Tea

• Country of Origin: China
• Region: Nanping Prefecture
• Shipping Port: Fuzhou
• Grade: Organic Tong Mu Lapsang
• Altitude: 2000’ – 3000’ ft. above sea level
• Manufacturer Type: Traditional
• Cup Characteristics: A very rare tea which has an exceptional energizing cup that is round and exotic with light hints of pine smoke
• Ingredients: Luxury organic black tea

Prepare for an ultra rare tea from a small estate near Mount Wuyi in Nanping Prefecture, Fujian up along the border of Jiangxi Province. Because of the region’s unparalleled biodiversity, UNESCO listed the mountain as a World Heritage Site in 1999. According to the UN, Mount Wuyi Is one of the World’s finest, intact, subtropical forests. Further complimenting the region’s reputation, Mount Wuyi is registered with the Chinese Government as a biodiversity conservation zone.

The climate of the region is relatively humid due to the fact that the Mountain prevents cool air from entering the valley, and the presence of the 9 Bend River meandering through its valleys. Living within this subtropical paradise is an almost uncountable number of flora and fauna species. Many of the plants living on the Mountain are considered relics of a bygone age, no longer found anywhere else on the planet. The wildlife is equally as spectacular. An estimated 5000 reptile, amphibian and insect species call the protected area home. Like the plant life, many of these creatures are found nowhere else on earth. To say the region is breathtakingly pristine is an understatement. Within this natural paradise grow the indigenous Phoenix pine trees, used to infuse this tea with its equally breathtaking flavor.

The estate’s owner can trace his family's history as tea growers in the region back 25 generations - predating the introduction of tea to the UK. Each April when the estate’s bushes begin flushing again after winter dormancy, only 1000 kilos of this fabulous tea are produced. The freshly plucked leaf is hand sorted, withered and processed in a centuries old factory built atop brick furnaces that produce the pine smoke necessary for infusing the leaf with its unique character. To say this tea is magnificent is an understatement. The cup reveals deep notes of baked pine smoke, undertones of wine and a mouth filling astringency. Without exaggeration, one of the world’s finest teas.

How is organic tea grown?
Operating an organic tea garden or herbal farm is a multi-stepped process. In all cases, organic gardens adhere to the following:

Abstinence from using any synthetic fertilizer or pesticide

Protection of the environmental integrity of lands surrounding the gardens

Minimize pollution and optimize biological productivity

Replenishment and maintenance of garden soil fertility

Promotion and maintenance of biodiversity in and around the tea gardens, including the protection of wildlife habitats