Tag 'Tea Of The Month'

Long Jing tea (龙井茶), also known by its literal translation, “Dragon Well”, is a variety of pan-fried green tea from Hangzhou, China’s Zhejiang Province. It can be argued that Long Jing is the most prestigious tea in China; in the Qing Dynasty, Long Jing was given the status of “Imperial Tea”. 

This month we explore a Newby Teas favourite, Green Sencha. 

Our tea of the month is Kan-Junga – a fresh and reviving black tea grown in one of most spectacular tea growing regions.

The spotlight is on the wonderful Pride of Africa, a rich blend of African black teas.

This month’s tea of the month is the extremely rare and exclusive from our super premium Gourmet Collection. This is an unusual green tea from the famous tea producing island, Taiwan.

When Portuguese explorers first set eyes on what we now know as Taiwan, they called it ‘Ihla Formosa’, meaning beautiful island. Taiwan has a long and complex history, and a similarly complex past with tea, but it is known today as one of the premier tea producing regions of the world.

Many empires have claimed Taiwan as their own, but it was the Dutch who are responsible for building the foundations of tea production on the island. The Dutch played a large role in trade between Europe and Asia for over two hundred years. Upon arriving at Taiwan in 1623, they quickly saw the potential as a trade hub as well as a source of valuable commodities.

The Dutch welcomed immigrants from nearby Fujian, China, one of the most historic tea producing regions of the world. With them, these immigrants brought tea and the culture of drinking tea. Tea production didn’t start in earnest until the 19^th century when China had expelled the Dutch and controlled Taiwan. The supply of migrants from Fujian provided the skilled workforce as well as the seedlings to cultivate and produce high quality tea.

Tea soon became a major export for Taiwan and the quality was recognised internationally, it was sold under the name ‘Formosa’. Taiwan is relatively small and mountainous, making it difficult to grow tea in many areas. Thanks to the difficulties of high altitude and steep terrain, the tea grown here is extremely fragrant and complex. Thanks to the high quality and deep passion for tea in Taiwan, only a very small amount is made available internationally.

Our Special Formosa sits in our Gourmet Collection, a range of some of the most exquisite teas in the world. We work with the top tea gardens in Taiwan to create this spring picked green tea. Taiwan is famed for its high quality oolongs, which make up the overwhelming majority of tea produced here - meaning this green tea is particularly rare and sought after. The silvery jade leaves are skilfully rolled in the style of 'Pi Lo Chun' or 'spring green snail' - named after the way the coiled leaves resemble a snail's shell.

The unique terroir and the craft that goes into making this tea makes our Special Formosa a wonderfully light and delicate cup, enchantingly fragrant with honey sweetness. This is the perfect tea to treat yourself and indulge your senses. Our Gourmet Collection presented in jewel toned metal caddies, making them the ideal gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

This month we are looking at the queen of Japanese teas, Gyokuro. The name Gyokuro means “Jade Dew”, a reference to the beautiful glossy green infusion this tea gives. The secret behind this tea’s incredible depth and umami is the process of shading the tea plants in the weeks leading up to harvest.

Japan is one of the most prestigious tea producing regions in the world. Over a thousand years ago, Japanese monks travelling around China learned of the tea plant and brought it back to Japan to help in their meditations. The Japanese used their own unique methods for the production of tea, honed over hundreds of years.

When making Japanese teas, the ‘fixing’ step, where heat is applied to the leaves to kill the enzymes and prevent oxidation, is usually done with steam rather than the dry heat used in China. This heightens the umami and grassy flavours of the tea. Most of the green tea made in Japan is therefore known as Sencha, meaning ‘steamed tea’.

Gyokuro came to exist partly by accident. In 1835 a renowned tea merchant called Yamamoto Kahei travelled from Edo (now called Tokyo) to Kyoto to buy tea and learn about the tea making process. In the cold northern tea fields of this region it was common practice to cover the tea bushes with straw to protect them from frost. It was a particularly long and harsh winter at this time, so the bushes stayed under the straw for an extended period. When it came to processing the leaves, the merchant noticed that the leaves were unusually sticky and that the resulting tea was incredibly sweet and flavoursome. Years of trial and error were spent before discovering that the unique flavour was a result of the shade that the straw provided during growth.

Gyokuro is the ultimate form of Sencha, and is incredibly sought after. Only a fraction of the tea produced in Japan is Gyokuro. In order to make this high-end tea, the farmer uses shading to boost the umami and sweetness of the brew. Covering the tea plants in special shade covers during the final three or four weeks before harvesting means that only around 10% of the sunlight reaches the plants. This stresses the bushes and causes them to produce more nutrients in attempt to adapt to the low light levels.

The result is a harvest that is high in amino acids such as theanine and contains higher levels of grassy chlorophyll. This in turn leads to a sweeter brew that has less bitterness. The interruption to photosynthesis is what causes the plants to undergo intense changes – the plants produces more chlorophyll to catch any light that makes it through the cover, and the balance of amino acids and sugars shift towards a sweeter tea. It is this physiological and chemical change that makes Gyokuro unique.

The flavour of this tea is uniquely grassy, sweet and clean. The aroma is reminiscent of a fresh summer’s day. Japanese teas are perfect for the summer months, so why not try the queen of Japanese teas while the weather is hot. For an interesting twist, try cold brewing Gyokuro by placing 5 grams of tea per 300ml in cold water in the fridge overnight. Next day simply strain and enjoy a cool, refreshing drink.