yunnan silver needles single cultivar da huang ya

type: white

origin: china

region: yunnan

caffeine: light

price level: $$$$

This is a rare single-cultivar Silver Needles produced exclusively from the Da Huang Ya ("Big Yellow Buds") cultivar in Jinggu county, Yunnan. Da Huang Ya yields large, plump buds that provide a long-lasting sweetness and unique amino acid profile. The infusion is imbued with the most radiant yellow-gold tints. We find that this year's vintage has subtly sweet notes of muskmelon, clover honey, and ube purple sweet potato in the finish. The use of grafting in the cultivation of this tea illustrates the close parallels between tea and wine. We worked with partners to revitalize a garden of 30-40 year old tea plants that had passed their prime, by cutting them down nearly to the stumps and grafting Da Huang Ya cultivar plants onto the rootstock. After a few years, we are thrilled to see the results as the plants spring back with renewed vigor and channel all that energy into this amazing cultivar.