After a 3 year hiatus, Mansa is back in the family for 2021. One of our favourite areas, Mansa lies just north of Yiwu, along the border with Laos.
This tea comes from a single area of pretty darn old trees growing on what was, until recent years, abandoned land. The result is a tea that produces some of the more noticeable body feeling we’ve experienced and has an exceptionally strong energy.
The flavour presents itself as a slightly more aggressive Yiwu. There is a deep, pleasant fragrance that lingers, but also more of a pleasantly bitter and rougher edge to it this year, which quickly evolves into sweetness.
As with good old tree material, the soup produces a full and thick feeling in the mouth, adding another dynamic to the drinking experience. Overall, this is a tea that handily outperforms many others in its price range.
Even with a 3 year absence, our love for this Mansa hasn’t waned.
Picking period: Pre-April 12