Shai Hong Gushu Black Tea

What's so special about this tea?

An exceptionally crafted and sun-dried black tea, known as Shai Hong Cha in Chinese, and a winner in numerous competitions over the years. It is harvested from a remote forest high in the mountains of Chiang Rai, in northern Thailand, where ancient tea trees, some hundreds, others even thousands of years old, thrive naturally in an untouched environment with abundant vegetation and insects, free from human intervention or chemicals. This is how the tea's energy is reflected in the processed leaves.

This batch is hand-harvested exclusively from ancient tea trees between 400 and 900 years old. Unlike typical black tea, which is dried or roasted at high temperatures, Shai Hong Cha is naturally and slowly sun-dried, in the style of Pu-erh and white teas. This drying process allows for extended storage, and this batch already shows great potential; its flavor and aroma notes are expected to evolve significantly over time.

Its profile is characterized by notes of cocoa, honey, and figs, with subtle hints of toasted sunflower seeds. The aromas feature sweet nuances such as honey, oak barrels, currant jam, and spices like clove.

The smooth, warm, and deeply relaxing character of this tea comes from its origin in ancient trees. Upon tasting it, one perceives the tea's concentrated energy, comparable to that of high-quality aged pu'erh sheng.