New Release of Da Xue Shan Wild Tea 2024 Loose Leaf

Da Xue Shan Wild Tea is a raw pu-erh tea made from Camellia taliensis, which grows wild on Da Xue Shan in Yongde County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province.

What is Wild Tea?

Wild tea refers to naturally growing tea found in the mountains, not to aged tea trees or cultivated tea that has reverted to the wild. As I’ve explained before, in Yunnan Province, whether Camellia taliensis grows wild or is cultivated, it is traditionally called wild tea. Ideally, wild tea should refer to tea that grows naturally in the mountains, but in Yunnan, people call Camellia taliensis wild tea even when it’s cultivated in fields. This is because Camellia taliensis originally grew wild in the mountains, much like how people refer to cultivated wild strawberries as "wild" even though they are grown in gardens. In both cases, the term "wild" is used because of the plant’s natural origin, despite its being cultivated in a controlled environment. The name persists because it helps identify the type of plant, even if it doesn’t reflect its current growing conditions. In fact, most wild tea on the market is not harvested from the mountains, just as many so-called wild strawberries come from cultivated plants. We place great importance on sourcing genuine wild tea from the mountains. We travel to the region to ensure we obtain truly wild tea, not cultivated plants, in pursuit of the rich aftertaste and long-lasting flavors that only real wild tea can offer.

Monitoring Pan Frying On-site

With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel to China has become possible again, and I entered Yunnan Province in late March to oversee the production of wild tea. I visited Yunnan at this time specifically to participate in the production of wild tea. In Yunnan Province, many producers tend to pan-fry wild tea at high temperatures, which can cause the delicate aromatic compounds to oxidize and volatilize due to the heat. The early stages of pan frying in pu-erh tea production are more like cooking rice than stir-frying vegetables. The pan is thoroughly heated, and once it reaches the right temperature, tea leaves are added quickly to allow heat to penetrate and release steam. After steam starts to appear, the temperature is lowered, and the tea is gradually pan-fried. However, in Yunnan, many producers tend to overheat the pan at the beginning and fail to reduce the temperature once the steam appears. If the temperature isn’t lowered after the moisture evaporates, the tea can easily scorch. Since tea frying often continues until dawn, workers in a rush to finish may push the process by using excessively high temperatures in a short time. This year, I was involved throughout the production season, implementing various management practices to achieve an ideal quality. The tea has a bright flavor, reminiscent of grapes, apples, and young tree bark. While there are areas to improve for next year, I’m generally satisfied with the result of this year's tea. The tea will be sold in both loose-leaf and cake forms. The loose-leaf tea will be available in limited quantities, so please consider purchasing early.

For more on how raw Pu-erh is made, aged, and stored, see What Is Raw Pu-erh Tea?.