Mu (Wood)

Grown on the slopes of Cheyun Mountain, the most prestigious growing region in the famed tea-producing highlands of China's Henan province, our single-estate Xinyang Maojian reflects its rugged landscape.

Henan is the northernmost of China's great tea regions, and Cheyun is the northernmost within the province. Here, cold temperatures and a nearly perpetual fog slow the growth of tea shrubs significantly, concentrating nutrients and aromatic compounds in the leaves. With no irrigation on the steep slopes, the tea shrubs live on rain and condensation. The sandy loam soil found on the mountainside plot is especially rich in minerals, which are beautifully expressed in the brewed tea. 

Come spring, every single bud and leaf is hand-picked, a laborious task made only more so by the terrain. Then, they are finished in the traditional way: pan-fired and gently charcoal-roasted by hand in small batches to imbue a signature toasty aroma while locking in the leaf's natural floral sweetness.

The nose is sweet porridge, the body is rich chestnut, and, with varying intensity depending on the capricious swings of each particular season's weather, the tea closes with a tantalizing, lingering wildflower finish.