2024 Qianjiazhai Sun Dried Black Tea

Wild-foraged by the Li Family of the Dongsa Cooperative within Mt Ailao National Forest Preserve, this tea comes from ancient trees aged 100-800 years scattered among evergreens and wildflowers on rocky mountainsides. The labor-intensive harvest uses sun-roasting and oxidation without wok heating, retaining moisture and making it perfect for aging like traditional sheng pu'er. Only high-elevation locations like Qianjiazhai provide sufficient spring sunlight for this rare technique, creating a tea that blends black tea's sweet malt with sheng pu'er's complex herbaceous undertones.