Te Ji Zang Cha 20128ZTJ Harvest: Aug-Sept 2012
Origin: China / Sichuan / Ya'an / Lushan / Shangli
Height: 1000-1100 m.a.s.l
Tea plant varietal: Lao Chuan Cha
A lower-budget version of a traditional Sichuan Hei Cha, also known as Tibetan tea. These teas were traditionally exported to Tibet and bartered for horses. The Tibetans prepare their salty butter tea with this tea. Tibetan tea is usually pressed into huge lenghty bricks and is of very simple quality. Te Ji Zang Cha is produced in a loose leaf way and of very good quality. The name means Superior Tibetan Tea, Te Ji refers to the quality of the leaves used.
Category:
Heicha Other Heicha, i.e. post-fermented teas that are not Pu Er, are produced in various provinces, and most of them are unknown even among tea connoisseurs. Heicha from the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Anhui belong to the very rare and unknown traditional Heicha, which go through an artificial process of post-fermentation (Rengong Houfajiao), induced by human influence, but for shorter time than for the new Pu Er Shu Cha. They are produced in different variations, but they are not as clearly differentiated as Pu Er Sheng Cha and Pu Er Shu Cha. These Heicha are lighter in colour in the cup, and very unusual and archaic to the palate. They are often pressed into very large bricks or pieces. Just as Pu Er, they keep fermenting during the whole time of stocking. Heicha are generally speaking very distinct in taste, difficult and complex, sometimes beautifully sweet, though, and in any case extremely interesting.
Storage:
This tea has been fermented microbially during years of storage and keeps maturing over time, gaining depth, sweetness and earthy aromas.
