The leaf of the Yellow Scented Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei tea is tapered, thin and covered with pekoe, a soft down that protects the more tender leaves and buds from insects and the elements. The true character of this tea, traditionally enjoyed by husbands, lies in its unique aroma: a fusion of tea buds and fragrant orchid flowers, in a fresh and refined blend that lends a light floral fragrance to every sip. This tea comes from Ya'an, located in the famous Mengding Shan tea-producing region of Sichuan.
Location of Origin
Ya'an, Mengding Shan, China
Tasting - Sight and Smell
Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei yellow tea consists solely of small, thin, sandy-green and silver-white buds: in fact, they are covered with a thin layer of pekoe that makes them shiny and velvety. The scent is already exquisitely floral. Once infused, the buds release aromas of flowers, with secondary vegetal notes and faint hints of toasted almonds. The finish is sweet and reminiscent of beeswax. In the cup, the liqueur is pale yellow and transparent: small particles of pekoe can be seen on the surface. The aroma of the liquor is delicate and floral, with citrus notes of lemon.
Tasting Notes
GONG FU CHA
The first infusion of Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei yellow tea is extremely floral, with hints of wild rose and orchid. This is followed by intense citrusy hints of lemon and lemon balm, and then the sweetness of acacia honey. The second infusion brings out a delicate vegetal note, a mix of sweet corn and spring grass, while flowers are still present but more discreet. With the third infusion and the following ones, the floral notes return, very fresh and long lasting: the balance between the sweet and slightly vegetal natural notes of the tea and the floral notes due to the scenting with orchid flowers is incredible.
TO THE WEST
With a first sip of Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei yellow tea, the floral hints of rose and orchid are clearly perceived, as well as fruity and sweet notes reminiscent of candied cedar. This is followed by a very elegant and delicate vegetal note that hints at the sweetness of corn, while the finish is distinctly citrusy, with notes of lemon and verbena. It is a t with a silky and light body, without astringency or bitterness in the taste. The persistence is long and intensely floral, with great freshness.
Preparation
We strongly recommend infusing Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei yellow tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different flavors.
Heat the water to 80°C and proceed to an initial infusion of 15 seconds. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to make use of the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time.
For a classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 1 teaspoon) in a 200 ml cup with water at 80°C for an infusion time of 2-3min.
The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting and also the infusion times given here above are meant to be purely indicative so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.
We recommend storing Spring Ta Xue Lan Fei yellow tea in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight.
The tea is also recommended to be brewed in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight.
