Osmanthus Black Tea

This 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.

When brewed in a gaiwan, 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.

	Cup Method		Chinese Gongfu Method
	Teacup: 12oz / 355ml		Gaiwan: 3.8oz / 110ml
	194℉ / 90℃		194℉ / 90℃
	2 Teaspoons / 3g Tea		5g Tea
	Brewing time: 3 - 5 mins		6 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 25s, 35s, 50s, 80s

Shan Zha Kou Tea Garden is high in the mountains away from any cities - it is about a one and a half hour’s drive from Songyang City, the nearest. The garden is entirely non-industrial, maintaining the original ecological growth environment. The garden is about 600-800m above sea level and is surrounded by the original natural forest, allowing the soil to remain rich in negative oxygen ions and many rarer minerals, imbuing the tea with more amino acids, important vitamins, and trace elements than varieties grown elsewhere.

Landscape of Shan Zha Kou Tea Garden

The sunrise in the tea garden
Photographs by TeaVivre Member Chris

Mr. Kong has been working in the tea industry for more than ten years, focusing on providing high-quality tea as well as working on perfecting the natural, healthy qualities of the products.

When asked how he feels about tea culture he told us: “It’s a concept which is different for people in different areas. One thing is certain even though it is complex: just like managing any other enterprise, tea culture must be carefully managed and maintained to keep up with the fast pace of development in the modern world.”

Songyang County, part of Lishui City, is in the southwest part of Zhegjiang Province, and is known as “the first county of Zhejiang ecological green tea” - according to historical records, Songyang began to produce tea as far back as the early Three Kingdoms period. It is mainly covered by hills and mountains, maintaining a rich natural landscape that fosters excellent growth of tea trees.

The fresh tea leaves come from plants of the Jiukeng species, or Jiukeng Big-Leaf. This variety was first found in Chun’an, Kaihua in Zhejiang Province, and then Shexian in Anhui Province. In the 1950s it was introduced to tea-growing areas throughout Zhejiang, then in 1985 was verified as a national species by the National Crop Variety Certification Committee.

The dry leaves contain about 3.4% amino acid, 20.9% tea polyphenols, 13.3% catechin, and 4.1% caffeine, making them well-suited for green tea.