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Doi Wawee Sun-Dried Red Tea
Malty, honey, berry compote,
spices and black sugar
About this tea
Sun-dried Red Tea (Shaihong) is most likely the original way of producing red tea using the Sun’s natural light and energy to dry the tea. This natural sun-drying method predates the modern and more widespread practice of oven drying red tea. The sunlight and slow rate of natural drying creates a uniquely sweet fermentation taste and aromatic profile that only the Sun’s natural UV-light can produce. The sun-dried red tea keeps the living character of Pu’er tea because the temperature of sun-drying is not as high as that of oven machine baking which thoroughly stops the enzyme activity in red tea.
This tea is good for immediate drinking as well as aging and enjoying overtime. Oven-dried tea tends to have more baking and caramelization notes while sun-dried red teas are more fruity, multi-floral, raisin and muscatel grape-like. This batch from the ancient tea trees of Doi Wawee in Northern Thailand’s Chiangrai Province has a strong energy and flavor density with notes of berry compote, red date, black sugar, black pepper and deep maltiness. The tea is great for gongfucha sessions and shows its character over the course of several infusions.
Origin
Doi Wawee, Thailand
Cultivar
Heirloom assamica from ancient tree (seed)
Harvest
April 2022
Elevation
900 - 1150 meters
Ingredients
Red tea
Ingredients
Red tea
Origin
Doi Wawee, Thailand
Cultivar
Heirloom assamica from ancient tree (seed)
Harvest
April 2022
Elevation
900 - 1150 meters
Origin
Doi Wawee
Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand
Throughout northern Thailand there are many old, abandoned tea plantations that have been left to grow wild from centuries past. Known locally by the Thais as “Assam tea,” these trees are part of an ancient tea journey that traces its roots back to the 11th and 12th Centuries. It is thought that the Bulang and Dai ethnic peoples were the pioneers of tea in this region and both groups planted tea seeds wherever they migrated. In more modern times, ethnic Han Chinese from Yunnan settled in the region and became stewards of the ancient tea tree forests and plantations. They began to produce tea in Doi Wawee according to Yunnan Pu’er tea practices and traditions. At this time, the village of Doi Wawee is glorified by tea lovers and is known as, 茶房 or “the village of tea.”