We’ve carried the classic red tea version of these wild-grown leaves since the earliest days of Song. Yunnan is home to groves of ancient, native tea trees - some centuries old - with deep root structures that allow for high absorption of nutrients and minerals from the soil, creating teas with incredible depth of character and rich flavor. While we’ve never tried alternative crafting methods on these particular leaves before, it’s this strong foundation that makes a tea an idea candidate for experimentation and play. And so, Wild Tree Yunnan White was born.

In contrast to Wild Tree Yunnan Red, these leaves are only lightly oxidized. After harvesting, tea makers sort these leaves directly on to large mesh tables under constant air flow, drying the tea leaves in lieu of heating them to kill the green. While oxidizing and bruising brings forth dark fruit flavors from these leaves, withering maintains the character of the leaves much close to that of their pre-harvested state. It’s a significantly lighter brew, both in color and in texture, yet no poorer in flavor. Fruit notes are replaced by floral notes, caramelized sweetness by that of spun sugar. It’s a tea best sipped slowly, allowing the nuance and dignity of flavor to slowly unfurl.