Wild Jungle Assamica Black

Wild Jungle Assamica Black is a rare black tea picked from ancient tea trees growing wild in the jungle of northern Thailand next to the Burmese border. Large leaves produce an amber liquor with a fruity aroma. The complex fruity profile has spicy woody notes with a long finish.

Brewing guide: 2.5g in 250ml water at 90°C for 3 minutes

£4.20£14.50

(10-50g)

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Origin:Mae Ai District, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Elevation:1,000 - 1,800m
Cultivar:Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Harvest time:Summer 2021
Sourcing:Specialist Thai Wholesaler

Description

Wild Jungle Assamica is a wild black tea harvested from assamica trees that grow in the jungles of Northern Thailand, close to the border with Myanmar. This tea is produced in a small village not far from Pu Muen Mountain in Mae Ai District of Chiang Mai Province. This rare wild tea produces a fruity profile that is complex and has a fruity and woody aspect reminiscent of barrel aged rum. It was harvested in summer of 2021 and is sourced by us from a specialist Thai tea wholesaler. We also have a sheng-style dark tea, made from the same leaves.

This jungle black tea is picked by a local hill tribe from the dense forest surrounding their homes. The village is located close to Pu Muen Mountain and is surrounded by Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park. The villagers walk for several hours through the forest, sometimes crossing into Myanmar. They pick leaves from wild growing asssamica tea trees, many of which are over 100 years old. These trees have grown here naturally, from seed, and without any human interference. Most of these are found at an altitude between 1,000 and 1,800 metres. This means that these wild trees are quite different from each other, leading to an uneven and mixed appearance. Some leaves have a slight purple hue on the smaller, younger leaves, which is a naturally occurring colour due to higher altitude and harsher growing conditions.

This Wild Jungle Assamica black tea has very large leaves that are twisted and lightly rolled with a mixed appearance. Many of the leaves are one bud plus 3-4 larger leaves and there are some pure buds and purple-hued leaves mixed in as well. It produces an amber liquor with good clarity and a fruity, spicy aroma. The taste is very clean, with a dominant fruity flavour. There are notes of wood and spices that combined with the fruity flavour makes us think of good barrel aged rum. The aftertaste is lasting, still delivering fruity notes but becoming more tangy. There are minimal tannins, leading to a very smooth overall impression. This is quite a unique wild black tea and it certainly delivers quite exciting flavours.

We suggest brewing at 90°C for 3 minutes according to your taste. It can be brewed around 3+ times depending on your taste preferences. For best results, use gongfu style of brewing.