Author Archives: admin

Trade as the Mother of Invention

Wine from the Saint Emilion region of France.

We are passionate about culture, history, and how many products and values are shaped by the interaction between people around the world. This includes tea, and how it has shaped and been shaped by history and culture over thousands of years. We referenced how the notion of terrior relates not only to tea but to wine and other products as well.

On a recent trip to France we were struck by yet another facet of history. The notion that global trade, and the requirements associated with shipping products around the world have led to many of the great products we have today. During our tour of wineries with TéléPro Tour in the Saint-Émilion region outside of Bordeaux, our guide noted that while wine has long been traded with England and others. Over time, innovation led from clay vessels to wooden barrels and at one point someone noticed that the wine shipped from France to England tasted significantly better after shipment. The difference forever changed wine production as producers determined it was the wine aged in oak during transport that produced exceptional flavors and aromas. As a side note, the standard 75 ml bottle we see today came from the fact that the 225 liter barrel makes exactly 300 bottles if the barrel is full.

Men working on the Tea Horse Road carrying large bundles of tea.

Tea Porters by Ernest H Wilson, CC BY 2.0

For tea, much like wine, it was the necessities of transportation which led to the development of Pu-erh. As early as 1600 BCE the road between China and Tibet and other locations was long and arduous, travelling over treacherous, high terrain. It was used to transport goods for trade including sugar, salt, tea, horses, and of course culture and ideas. Tea became important to the people of Tibet and similarly horses became important to China for military use. Thus tea and horses were commonly traded via this road giving us the Tea-Horse Road by which it is known today. This nearly 1500 mile journey would have taken a very long time to traverse and efficient transport of goods was a must. So tea leaves began to be packaged into cakes. This packaging allowed tea to be compressed and stacked for easier transportation by both man and horse. Like wine, it was discovered that the tea actually had new flavors and aromas after the trip then at the beginning. It turns out that time in the heat and humidity during the long trip along the tea horse road substantially changed the tea resulting in something like the pu-erh enjoyed today.

Modern Tea Bag

Like aged tea and wine barrels before it, tea bags were also developed by accident as a result of trade between people separated by distance. A far more modern development the tea bag was created by Thomas Sullivan of New York. Upon receiving tea, Mr. Sullivan began to package teas in small silk bags in order to send small samples on to his customers. Not realizing they should take the tea out of the bags some customers simply immersed in water. When they reported back to Mr. Sullivan that the silk was a bit to fine, he realized the opportunity, switched to gauze and the tea bag was born.

Yet again, we find ourselves fascinated with tea, how it has been impacted throughout history, and has contributed to global culture. Are there other analogous inventions you might be aware of, tea or otherwise?

$28,000 per Pound – Dragonwell Tea History

Leave a reply

Map showing Zhejiang China where Dragonwell Tea originates.

Zhejiang, China – Home of Dragonwell Tea

Longjing, or Dragonwell Tea, is China’s most famous green tea. This tea is so prized in China that a pre-market release sale of Dragonwell in May of 2012, resulted in 500 grams of the tea selling for 180,000 Yuan or $28,499. On a per gram basis, it was purchased at a rate higher than gold was trading that day. On a per cup basis that is $171 per 8 oz of liquor, which is on equivalent to some of the more famous wines. Tea purchased at this rate usually remains in China and exchanged between business men and politicians as gifts.

The name, Dragonwell, comes from Chinese mythology where a village in China was suffering from a severe drought and was advised to pray to the benevolent dragon who lived in the nearby well to bring rain. The rain came and the village in appreciation renamed itself and its tea to Dragonwell. Authentic Dragonwell is produced in Zhejiang providence outside of the fifth largest Chinese city of Hangzhou. The area is also referred to as Xi Hu or the West Lake region and is home to several UNESCO sites, as well as tea plantations. Due to the popularity of Dragonwell, the Chinese government expanded the region they claim as home to authentic Dragonwell to all of Zhejiang province. Originally it was only produced in a 65 square mile area of Xi Hu, made up of four regions – Lion Mountain (Shifeng), the center of the original Dragonwell tea growing area, Mei Jia Wu (Mei family valley), Long Jing and Lin Yin Temple areas. Given the popularity and relatively high price at sale, there are many counterfeit Dragonwell teas on the market, so knowing how the characteristics of the authentic tea is important.

Photo of Dragonwell Tea, its leaves and liquor.

Dragonwell Tea – Dry Leaf, Infused Leaf, and Liquor

Authentic Dragonwell is harvested by hand and then pan fried to stop the oxidation process. High quality Dragonwell will be have uniform tight, flat lime to dark green dried leaves. The steeped leaves will appear plump with a uniform light green color. Lower quality Dragonwell leaves will turn bluish green to dark green in color after steeping. The tea liquor should be a bright clear jade yellow. This tea is best when brewed between 167-176 degrees Fahrenheit. The North American Tea Championship definition describes the liquor of Dragonwell tea as having a gentle smell of fruitiness with mellow plant notes. In the mouth, the liquor should have a light-bodied, buttery and smooth feel with slight astringency and hints of peas and sweet-corn with husk and a nutty finish.

I will admit the description above makes me roll my eyes and think how pretentious this sounds. However, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on an authentic Dragonwell, the description barely does it justice. It is a truly complex tea with a fabulous flavor worth slowing down to enjoy over multiple steepings.

There are many different types of Dragonwell on the market. Here is a quick list that does not cover all of them, but some of either the more common or special Dragonwell varieties.

Xihu Longjing	This just refers to the region where the tea is grown. This is the traditional region for Dragonwell.
Bird’s Tongue Longjing	First growth picked on about March 21 yields a more intense aroma and taste of sweetness than the better known Ming Qian Longjing. Supply is highly dependent on the weather conditions and varies wildly year to year.
Bai Longjing	Not a true Longjing but looks like one and is commonly sold as one, it is actually a Bai Pian. It comes from Anji in the Zhejiang Province.
Shi Feng Longjing	A type of Xihu Longjing. Fresh tasting, its fragrance is sharp and long lasting. Its leaves are yellowish green in color, and easily imitated with excessive Pan frying of other green teas.
Pre-Qingming Longjing	The premium early season first-picking known as Ming Qian or Pre-Qingming. This tea is harvested before the QingMing Festival, which occurs around the 5^th of April each year. The production cycle is very short, usually only ten days before Qingming every year.
Yuqian Longjing	This tea is picked after QingMing but before the summer rainy season. Its name translates to Dragonwell before the rain.
Qiantang Longjing	This tea still comes from the Zhejiang province but outside of the Xi Hu district.

Even if you think you are not a green tea fan, Dragonwell tea is worth trying. What is your favorite Dragonwell memory?

South Korean Green Tea

1 Reply

Tea Photo from Republic of Korea

Like Japan and China, tea in South Korea has been very much influenced by Buddhism. The introduction of tea to Korea initially occurred somewhere around the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 AD) at a time when the king would give tea as gifts to religious leaders and the military. It was also incorporated into funeral rituals in the form of tea boxes placed with the deceased. Unlike Japan and China, however, tea was not reserved for the upper classes and in fact was enjoyed by all classes in the country.

Tea, however, was not to last in South Korea. At the start of the Choson dynasty, which ushered in Confucianism as the replacement for Buddhism, tea was pushed to the background. Tea was heavily taxed, the tea fields destroyed, and many Buddhist temples destroyed. What little was left of the tea industry in South Korea was crushed in the Seven Year War with Japan. Most of the remaining tea fields were destroyed and many South Koreans skilled in pottery and other crafts were taken and forced to work in Japan.

Korean Tea Set

Though it had never died out completely, tea began its re-introduction in the 1800’s by Confucian scholar Chong Yag-yong who in turn passed along knowledge for drinking and producing tea to the Buddhist monk Cho ui who wrote a poem praising tea. Then from 1945-1970 tea culture grew substantially with schools and universities devoted to tea and ultimately the writing of The Way of Tea by Hyo Dang. (Jane Pettigrew, 2008)

Green tea field in Boseong, Jeollanam-do South Korea

Today most tea is grown in the southern part of South Korea, with the Boseong area producing nearly 40% of all tea grown in the country. Virtually all tea produced in South Korea is green tea grown on plantations that were formed from the 1930’s onward (Boseong County, 2014). Though tea production for the Republic of Korea is on the rise it still doesn’t rank anywhere among the top growers. In 2012 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates it produced 3,000 tons of tea while Japan produced 85,900 tons and China produced 1.7 Million tons (United Nations, 2014).

Tea production in South Korea is generally from new growth coming in April and May. Tea produced before April 20^th or Kok-u are referred to as Ujon and are the most sought after and highest priced. Sejak is produced between April 20^th and May 5-6, or Ipha. After May 5-6 the tea produced is referred to as Chungjak with tea produced beyond May not considered to have the right qualities for good tea.

In Korea, like Japan, tea may be finished using industrial methods for drying and rolling or by hand. There are two primary methods for crafting the finished products, resulting in Puch’o-ch’a and Chung-ch’a. For Puch’o-ch’a the tea leaves are heated in an iron pan then removed and rolled, repeatedly alternating between heat and rolling until the finished product is produced. For Chung-ch’a the tea leaves are immersed in near boiling water then removed and drained for several hours before being rolled and dried over a fire with no rest until fully dried (Anthony, 2014).

According to United Nations FAO statistics, the Republic of Korea production has generally been on the rise over the past ten years. This is promising since Korean tea can only add to the breadth of experience in your tea experience. South Korean tea can be had though one hopes for greater availability and diversity in the options over the coming years.

Have you tried South Korean tea? What do you think of it?

Works Cited

Anthony, B. (2014, 04 3). Making Tea in Korea. Retrieved from Brother Anthony/An Sonjae: http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/kortea07.htm

Boseong County. (2014, 04 3). Green Tea Plantation. Retrieved from Boseong County, Jeollanamdo, South Korea: http://english.boseong.go.kr/index.boseong?menuCd=DOM_000001404000000000

Jane Pettigrew & Bruce Richardson, B. R. (2008). The New Tea Companion. Perryville, KY: Benjamin Press.

United Nations. (2014, 04 3). FAOSTAT Gateway. Retrieved from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://faostat3.fao.org/faostat-gateway/go/to/download/Q/QC/E

Welcome Zen Tara Tea Fans

Kenyan Tea Industry

2 Replies

If you are an American, it is highly likely you have consumed Kenyan black tea and not even known it. Unilever, parent company to Lipton, is the largest single tea plantation owner in Kenya. Not to turn my nose up at Lipton, because sometimes that is all you can get your hands on in the country that runs on coffee, but what about the other 40% of tea plantations?

A Map of Tea Production Areas in Kenya By Philippe Rekacewicz assisted by Cecile Marin, Agnes Stienne, Guilio Frigieri, Riccardo Pravettoni, Laura Margueritte and Marion Lecoquierre CC BY SA-3.0

The Kenyan tea industry began in earnest in the 1930’s, almost thirty years after the first tea seeds were planted. There are two main areas in Kenya that produce teas located on the east and west of the Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley is a large trench first described by English explorer, John Walter Gregory, that stretches from Syria down to Mozambique. The rift in Kenya is now called the Gregory rift and lies along the edge of two tectonic plates that were once very active volcanic regions. These now dead volcanoes left a very valuable soil base that allows for agriculture to thrive in Kenya. Thanks in part to that soil, Kenya is now the third largest producer of tea on the globe and the largest exporter in Africa. Over 60% of the tea is grown on small farms and sent to one of 62 licensed manufactures that are overseen by the Kenyan Tea Board.

Kericho Tea Plantation By Victor O’ (Flickr) CC By SA-2.0

These manufacturing facilities are within 50 km (31 miles) of the farms they have an agreement with and the Kenyan Tea Board heavily regulates which manufacturers serve which farmers and only allow for a farm to do business with one manufacturer. The manufacturers combine all the delivered teas to produce their end product. So, unfortunately, if you want a single estate tea from Kenya you have to look to larger growers who also own the manufacturing process.

Even on the larger plantations, most of the tea is harvested by hand with the Kenyan Tea Board promoting the two leaves and a bud standard for plucking. This is not that surprising when put into context around Kenya’s overall economy, which is still very much agrarian. It has introduced a host of challenges for larger companies like Unilever, which faced a strike by its workers in 2007 concerning wages. Much to Unilever’s credit they have been very open with the public on the wages and benefits they provide their workers and how they have worked to improve these.

Tea Field – Kenya, By Shared Interest (Flickr) CC By 2.0

The majority of the Kenyan tea is manufactured using the Crush-Tear-Curl method or CTC. There are some teas produced with the more traditional methods but in much smaller quantities that are harder to find outside of the country. Even with the CTC method, Kenyan black tea carries a strong distinctive taste that holds up to milk and sugar or even just being drunk straight.

Have you had Kenyan tea? What is your favorite?

Dominion Tea

Passionate & Informed Tea Drinkers