ORIGIN: Mingjian, Nantou, Taiwan
ALTITUDE: 300-400 metres
MEANING: Four Seasons [of] Springtime (si ji chun)
CULTIVAR: Si Ji Chun
HARVEST TIME: November 2020
TASTE: Cherry blossom, rhubarb, butter
Soft and limpid, the infusion of this Taiwanese classic earns its name, ‘four seasons of spring’, by bringing all of the uplifting aromatics of the first vernal days into the first sip: a lilting of ripening bananas, a slight rhubarb tang, the warmth of Vietnamese cinnamon, and, of course, the cherry blossom note associated with the variety. All of this despite being harvested in the autumn, proving the cultivar’s ability to bring spring into any time of year. Best enjoyed with boiling water to extract all of the aromatics in the tightly-rolled leaves, this tea is also very suitable for steeping in a large, Western-style teapot, retaining its bright flavour and buttery mouthfeel.