Osmanthus Black Tea

Osmanthus Black Tea uses a scenting process similar to that of jasmine teas, where the osmanthus flowers and tea leaves are mixed together to allow the leaves to fully absorb the aroma. A suitable proportion of star-shaped osmanthus among the tea leaves is used, ensuring the scent and flavor are properly infused without being overbearing.

This osmanthus black tea is made by the carefully picked the tea buds of Meizhan tea tree species, after the fermented, and then scented together with the osmanthus flowers that blooms in September and October.

When brewed in cup, the fragrance of the osmanthus is gradually spread through the air, and the tea itself develops a sweet, mellow taste with hints of honey and caramel. Whether cold or hot, this tea will allow you to sweetly relax with its floral overtones.

About Scenting Process

Autumn rain in Ya'an is usually unexpected. Tea farmers must collect the fresh osmanthus flowers while the weather is fine, otherwise the flower will be destroyed by the rain and would be useless. Because there are still many dried flowers and stems, it must be filtered by machine after collection, and only the freshest blooms are left to be scented with black tea, generally five times. Following the completion of the scenting, the tea and flowers must be filtered and separated (there will be a small amount of petals remaining). Although the osmanthus cannot be seen in the dry tea, the scent has already permeated every tea bud, and even just smelling the dry tea will transport us to the heart of autumn.

	Cup Method		Chinese Gongfu Method
	Teacup: 12oz / 355ml		Gaiwan: 3.8oz / 110ml
	194℉ /90℃		194℉ /90℃
	3g Tea		5g Tea
	Brewing time: 5 - 8 mins		10 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 35s, 45s, 55s, 65s, 80s

This tea comes from the Mt. Mengding Tea Area at the average elevation of about 800-100 meters, which is located in Ya 'an, known as “the Rain City”. The ecological environment here is excellent, especially the misty and rainy climate provide advantageous conditions for the growth of tea, which help the formation of nitrogen in teas and increase the content of amino acids and other substances.

Views of the tea mountain. It is sparsely populated, quiet and beautiful, which belongs to the national protected natural scenic area.

Ya’an City, located in the west of Sichuan Basin, is not only a city of mountains and rivers, but also a city with tea fragrance. People began to plant teas at Mt. Mending of Ya’an in the Western Han Dynasty, which not only has more than 2000 years of tea planting history and rich cultural heritage, but also has the reputation of “Like the water in Yangtze River, the Mengshan tea has the top quality”. The average temperature here is 14.5℃ and it's drizzly all year round. This special ecological environment can reduce direct sunlight, which is very beneficial to the growth of tea trees and the formation of nitrogenous substance in tea leaves.

Meizhan tea tree species are clone kinds with short trees and large leaves. It is indigenous to Anxi, Fujian. The dry sample of one bud and two leaves contains about 3.6% amino acids, 27.5% tea polyphenols, 18.1% total catechins, and 4.4% caffeine. Meizhan has strong growth adaptability and high yield. Because the tree species naturally has aroma of flowers and fruits, it is not only suitable for making oolong tea, but also black tea and green tea, which has unique aroma, good quality and strong taste