Zuo Ruyu Wild Golden Bead 2012 - 18g

Zuo Ruyu Wild Golden Bead 2012 - 18g

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Another of Taiwan's wild teas. The tea that led me to Zuo Ruyu after the first smell.

These teas come from Taiwan's original Camellia formosensis variety. It is a large-leaved species, very similar in leaf to Assamica. The difference is that the terminal buds of this species are smooth and without pubescence. These tea plants are mainly distributed in mountainous areas. 

The varieties in each region differ slightly in leaf appearance and taste. They are, of course, hand-harvested and only harvested once a year, with very limited production. These wild teas have excellent ripening potential.

The indigenous people have produced tea from wild tea plants before, but it was not of good quality. In 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated the area and destroyed all the industries that employed the local people. At that time Zuo Ruyu was conducting research on wild tea trees and decided to lease land with wild tea trees, it is not possible to buy this land. She started working with the locals who harvest the leaves from the old trees and Zuo then arranged for processing and production based on her vast experience, then it is possible to make a truly unique tea.

In these areas, the topsoil is very fertile and the temperature difference between day and night is great. Native tea trees grow near old cypress, fir, pine and other local wild species. The roots of the trees intertwine, competing with each other for nutrients. The tea leaves from these trees are then full of vitality, unicate aroma and of course are pure, growing wild and free without human care.

Wild Golden Bead comes from Arbor tea trees, which are old, large, mature trees that grow in the Wutai forests and are not artificially planted. It is essentially a white tea, but not quite a classic, very rare tea.

The beautiful, full leaf varies in colour from yellow, to dark green, to almost black shades. 

The aroma of the dry leaf is very intense, strangely fruity, herbaceous, woodsy.

Similarly, the flavour of the tea is very difficult to describe and define. Herbs, ripe, fresh and sour fruit, Taiwanese forest, typical taste of the Camellia formosensis tea plant.

It's completely different from what you expect from the TW teas you know. However, it's still playful, mysterious and really wild. Sort of halfway to Gushu sheng, but with a very interesting spectrum of flavours. It can really last for many infusions, maybe 8-10, maybe more.

It's not a tea for beginners, it's a tea for people who have already imbibed a variety of flavours and aren't just looking for pleasing fruity and floral notes, but a deeper experience. Plus, it's a very limited tea, so I'll be happy if it doesn't go to waste.

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Brewing for 150 ml:
- 6g of tea, water 95-100C, first pour 25-30s, subsequent pours 20-30s, depending on personal preference, will last 8-10 pours. 
I recommend a really small volume, maximum 150ml. 

18g pack is for 3 full teas.