Qi Lan
Type
Wulong
Pronunciation
Chi L-ahn
This tea is a cliff tea! The Wuyi Shan area is composed of volcanic, gravelly sandstone and shale. Its soil is rich in minerals with excellent drainage. The soil and high altitude imparts a unique flavor and complexity to the tea.
Our Qi Lan is crafted by one of the best tea makers of Zheng Yan (true cliff) terroir, the Zhang family. It also delivers a long herbaceous and umami finish. Qi Lan means extraordinary orchid or rare orchid for its distinctive aroma. Yan Cha tea is made with only the leaves, making it one of the last teas to be harvested each year.
After the teas are sufficiently wilted, they remain on bamboo trays for a few hours before being shaken or tumbled to manage enzyme activity. This step regulates how the water inside the leaves travels outward. The process is repeated every hour, 5-8 times throughout the evening and night until morning. Once the teas are acceptably oxidized in the early morning, they are then wok-fried to kill the enzymes in the leaves to stop the oxidation. The tea is then roasted on very dim charcoal ash for 8–12 hours, 1-3 times depending on the varietal, to make it a finished Yan Cha.
Brewing Guide
Use 212F water. Use 6-8g of tea per 12oz of water (about the size of a coffee mug).
20 seconds.
30 seconds. As this tea progresses, notice how much smoother and less astringent the tea gets!
Add 5 - 10 seconds for subsequent brews
Use your best judgement! If the tea tastes bitter, use less time. If the tea tastes weak, use more time!