This is a green tea from Tân Cương (pronounced similar to tan kwong) commune in Thái Nguyên (pronounced like Thái like Thailand and Nguyên like penguin without the pe) province in northeastern Vietnam. The region is well known for this particular green tea as well as having an important role in the war for independence against the French. Tân Cương is in the eastern foothills of the Tam Đảo mountains with an altitude of around 500 metres, as is often the case in these kind of environments the unique micro-climate is well suited for growing tea.

This particular tea is harvested and processed on a small 8 hectare farm in small batches by hand, using a wood fired oven and basic rolling machines. It is produced from a seed grown strain of the tea tree known as Trung Du (Midlands) likely a hybridization between Chinese plants brought in during Chinese domination of Vietnam 1000 years ago and wild tea trees growing in northern Vietnam. Cultivation started in the region in the 1920s.

This is a reasonably mellow green tea with aspects similar to both Chinese and Japanese greens. The dry leaves have a nice fresh fruity slightly citrus smell, the main flavours are sweetness and umami, there’s very little astringency or bitterness and it gives that familiar sweet rice flavour common to green tea in this style, the head feeling was brisk and quick with minor stomach feeling.

A great daily drinker green tea.
Only available in 50g bags.