Taste: Wildflower Honey, Artichoke, Vanilla Energy: Calm, Heart-Centered, Gently Expansive, Warming Source: Jingmai Village, Jingmai Mountain, Yunnan Province SessionTime: 1-1.5 hours Bulang Beauty is a reference to one of many indigenous groups of southwestern Yunnan: The Bulang people are descendants of the earliest known cultivators of the tea plant. This tea was crafted by Yi-Luo, pictured, who is part of a very long generational line of tea cultivation and processing. While visiting Jingmai, I got to spend time with her and her husband He Hanming, a prolific ceramicist. Quite the pairing! Evenings in their home were some of my fondest memories in China. This was the first tea we drank together. Upon the first sip, I was speechless, and sold--even though the visit was just friendly, and not initially meant for tea sourcing! This tea is from relatively old tea plants (50-100 years old) from the well-preserved natural tea forests just outside of Jingmai Village. This batch is a September harvest of last year, so its expression is more mellow than your average red tea. The flavors are intricate and pervasive, and the proper brews can bring out a delectable fragrance that lingers in the empty cup.
