About 2005 Tea Flower:
Flowers of the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) have been used for centuries in Southern Yunnan, but the secret of their delicate aroma and sweet taste has only recently reached the West. Their aroma is not as potent as a jasmine, rose, or osmanthus flower, but rather a more earthy, delicate, and soothing flavor profile. Collecting tea flowers is a painstaking process. A typical tea plant does not blossom much if it has been pruned regularly. Therefore, unpruned, old growth tea plants are needed to produce this cake. Our 2005 Tea Flower cake is made from old growth tea trees on Jing Mai Mountain in southern Yunnan.
Making tea cakes is a traditional art form in Yunnan, China. Although it is a form popular for making Puer teas, in recent times, other type of teas (green, black, and tea flowers) have also been made into cakes. We have found Portland to be an excellent environment for aging bing cha. The aging environment requires fresh air, moderate to warm temperatures, and humidity so that the tea will ferment over time.
Ingredients: 100% Organic Tea Flowers.
Weight: 150 grams (5.3 oz)
Cup Servings per Cake: 70
Flavor Profile:
Delicate pollenal aroma with shades of hibiscus and honeydew melon.
Brewing Instructions:
Every tea is different and can be brewed in different ways. The chart below is not a hard-and-fast guide for brewing this tea, but rather a place to get started. Steeping time may vary based on your personal taste or on how many infusions have already been done. Experiment with the brewing of your tea to discover its unique character.
Brewing the tea cake is fairly simple. Break off a small piece (equal to the size of a teaspoon), and brew as you would with loose leaf tea.
| Water Temp °F (°C) | Steep Time (minutes) | Number of Infusions | Quantity of Leaf (tsp / 8oz water) |
| 195°F (91°C) | 3-5 | 3-5 | 1-2 |
