OUR OFFERINGS - BUDDHIST TEA

Native Name: Fo Cha
Elevation: 600 - 800 m
Climate: Subtropical
Origin: Zhejiang Province, China
Harvest: Early April 2007

Characteristics

Body:  Syrupy
Flavor:  Delicate, fruity
Finish:  Smooth, refreshing
Aroma:  Grassy

Tasting Notes

The small leaves produce a delicate, nuanced cup not entirely unlike a Dragon Well. The traditional pan-fired Dragon Well flavor is replaced by a very sweet fruit flavor with subtle notes of Asian pear and crisp melon. The exceptionally syrupy body, often lacking in green tea, combined with low astringency make this a very good introduction for new green tea drinkers.

Doug’s Notes

Buddhist Tea is produced on a small island located about 12 kilometers off the coast of Zhejiang. The island is home to many Buddhist temples and Buddhist Tea is grown on a mountain noted for its religious significance. The sacred mountain has beautiful southern exposure, which is the perfect condition for growing high quality teas.

Fresh-picked leaves undergoing the withering process.

Buddhist Tea is a pan-fired green tea that incorporates traditional processing methods. Instead of using electricity, the tea is hand-fired in a wok over a charcoal fire. While maintaining a uniform temperature, the artisans who craft this tea need to make certain that the smoke from the charcoal fire doesn’t impact the tea’s delicate flavor. The careful attention to detail is amazing and the tea never develops the nutty pan-fired favors of a Dragon Well. Once fired, the small and delicate leaves are twisted to give the tea its fuzzy appearance and distinctive shape. Like all green teas, the shaping is done to preserve the delicate flavor and freshness by reducing the amount of surface area exposed to oxygen.

The garden that produces our Buddhist Tea was purchased about seven years ago from the government of China, and the new owners immediately instituted organic farming practices. Please note that while the tea is produced organically, it is not currently NOP certified, so I can’t sell it as such. The organic farming practices at this garden, however, have successfully created a more sustainable environment on the island. After switching to organic mulches and eliminating pesticides, the avian population increased to the point that these birds consume enough insects to completely eliminate the need for chemical treatments.

Like most fine green teas, Buddhist Tea is a first flush or spring-picked tea. Every step in producing this tea is done with great care and expertise, whether plucking only ripe green leaves or vacuum packing the tea for export to the US. The end result is apparent in the cup proving that like our coffees, good tea is no accident.

Buddhist Tea is the perfect green tea for the novice green tea drinker. The light flavor is completely devoid of bitterness, and if prepared properly, the tea is very low in astringency. Chinese green teas are quite accessible since they often lack the bitter-sweet flavor of Japanese green teas. A cup like our Buddhist Tea can open up first-time green tea drinkers to new flavors that can’t be found in other styles. If green tea is as healthy as is claimed, then this is about the best health drink I can imagine.