Mr. + Mrs. Chen's Sequel

Notes of nutmeg doughnut, apple, and corn husk.

Oolong tea from Taiwan・May 2019・陳家烏龍, 第二章・Arbor, semi-wild

We have a close history of working with Mr. + Mrs. Chen. The couple work in tea production, and together make some of the most outstanding teas we have ever tasted. After two years of carrying their tea here at Song, we received news that Mr. + Mrs. Chen had been forced to give up their small organic garden. Since then, we’ve tried to think of different ways we could continue to enjoy their tea. Just a year later, we’ve found the answer.

This is Mr. + Mrs. Chen’s Sequel, a collaborative effort between the tea makers, a fledgling tea grower named Wu Jin Hua, and Song Tea. Wu Jin Hua’s tea garden sits at 1700m on Yushan, the highest mountain range in Taiwan. It was planted 33 years ago by the farmer, whose family line traces back to the original south pacific islanders who settled Taiwan long before the arrival of the Han Chinese.

Mr. Wu’s garden is what we call yeh fang - a “wild place”, and the plants are left to grow without human intervention. The garden is not fertilized, nor irrigated, and no pesticides are ever used. Twice a year, Mr. Wu sends his family up to the garden to harvest and make tea. This spring, we contracted with him to acquire two full days of production - and sent Mr. + Mrs. Chen up to Yushan to craft the tea on our behalf.

Mr. + Mrs. Chen and Mr. Wu represent the best of both tea growing, and tea crafting. The result of the collaboration is the epitome of what we look for in a finished tea- a clarity of flavor, strong aromatics, and long finish.

Picked in mid-May, these leaves were crafted using the identical methods that produced Mr. + Mrs. Chen’s original oolong: slow withering, rolling in canvas globes to encourage high oxidation, and then lightly baked. We received 72kg of maocha that we then roasted here in our studio in San Francisco.The result is stunningly elegant, with a clarity of flavor and aroma that is the cumulation of perfectly grown tea plants, perfectly crafted. We will only offer 36kg for sale, storing the rest for aging.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen’s Sequel is packed for us by the tea makers in 100gram (3.5 ounce) vacuum sealed bricks. Tea ships in imported Si Fang Cha canisters.

Brew: 7 grams・150 ml・208° F・2.5 min

Inspired by the intimate supper clubs of the Song Dynasty, Sifang Cha is a small series of exquisite teas for special occasions. Each tea is carefully packed in the collection's signature canisters.