Description
Origin: Banggai, Lincang
The tea leaves for this tea are harvested in Banggai village of the Lincang tea region. It is located at 1400m on the west bank of the Nanmeng River. The area has a high average annual temperature of 26ºC and abundant rainfall, which makes the tea leaves rich in nutrition. This is reflected in Banggai tea’s rich aroma profile and lingering aftertaste.
Sun-Drying & Aging Potential
The tea leaves are initially processed like a traditional Yunnan black tea, followed by an additional sun-drying step on bamboo sheets for several hours. As a result, the sun-dried tea leaves develop a distinct aromatic profile and excellent aging potential.
As a result of sun-drying, this black tea doesn’t expire. In fact, when stored well, it will age beautifully like a pu erh tea.
While most sun-dried black teas are directly compressed into tea cakes, the 2024 Spring tea leaves used for Amber Sunrise are first stored loose for about 10 months. This allows the tea to age more uniformly before compression. In January 2025 the leaves were steamed soft, compressed into cakes, and indoor air dried. At last, the tea cakes are double wrapped in paper for optimal storage and aging. To protect the tea during its logistical journey, they’re also tightly wrapped in bamboo sheets, which we call a ‘tong’ of 5 cakes.
Amber Sunrise is great to drink right now. However, if stored properly, we believe it could reach its full potential in 2027.
