Dragon scales..
The youngest offshoots of the tea plant can only be harvested for 3 weeks a year
These buds come from a rare variety high in the mountains of northern Vietnam.
This region is very isolated and really only the ethnic minorities like Zdao and H'mong live there. These people value the traditional methods of tea production that have been preserved for centuries.
You can recognize the Dragon Scale by the purple color on the tea buds. The young shoots look like scales, and the tea has a beautiful aroma of rose and litchee.
The buds are picked in 3 weeks each year, before they open, and are placed in the sun to dry. To prevent oxidation, they are lightly toasted.
This tea is rich in antioxidants and minerals thanks to the high quality of the leaf buds. Its purple coloring is due to anthocyanin, a natural pigment.
This tea does not become astringent when brewed and can easily be poured several times
Read more about it in my Vietnam BLOG
- Origin: North Vietnam
- Region: Tay Con Linh, Ha Giang
- High: 1200-2400m
- Harvest period: March-April 2023
- Variety: Wild Duoi Rong
- Pick: 1 bud
- Infusion: Light green/yellow
- Scent: Floral (rose) and fruit (lychee, apple, blackcurrant), vegetal
- Flavor: Softly sweet, floral, vegetal, earthy
- Body: Medium
- Caffeinated: Yes
- Biodegradable: Yes
Western brewing recommendation : 3 grams of tea | 300ml of soft water | 80℃ | 4-5 minutes
Western brewing recommendation : 12 grams | 1 liter of soft water | 85℃ | 2-3 minutes
