Yong De Wild White Tea 2025 Loose Leaf Limited Release

We have released Yong De Wild White Tea Loose 2025. For the 2025 harvest, only the loose-leaf type was produced from Yong De Wild Tea. As the quantity is very limited, we recommend placing your order early.

Origin and Background

Yong De Wild Tea is harvested at an altitude of around 2300 m in Yong De County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. It comes from wild Camellia taliensis trees. The tea was first discovered by the producer’s brother, who raises goats in the mountains and, being very familiar with the local vegetation, identified the presence of wild tea. This area is unique for its high elevation and abundant sunlight, which is unusual for wild tea, as wild tea generally grows in the shade. The tea trees here grow among shrubs and thorny bushes, so access is extremely difficult. As a result, we can only collect a very small quantity each year.

Characteristics of Camellia taliensis and Processing Challenges

This tea is produced from Camellia taliensis. When processed into white tea, it develops a distinct flavour reminiscent of Shine Muscat grapes. However, achieving this flavour requires precise processing. The stems of Camellia taliensis are thick, which makes withering particularly difficult, as moisture does not reduce easily. If withering takes too long, the enzymes in the stems become excessively active, producing undesirable flavours. Careful control of withering time is therefore essential and must be adjusted according to weather conditions. Poorly processed white tea becomes dull in colour, losing its bright green tone. One of the most important indicators of processing quality is appearance. Well-processed white tea displays a vibrant yellow-green to green hue. In Yunnan, it is common to see white teas that appear dark or black, resembling dried mushrooms. This is evidence of over-fermentation. We stay on-site before the season begins, supervising daily production to ensure the results meet our standards. The fresh, bright colour of our Yong De Wild White Tea reflects our hands-on production management.

Characteristics of This Year’s Yong De Wild White Tea

Even when produced in the same way, white tea changes its character each year due to differences in rainfall, weather, and temperature. Last year’s tea was bright and floral, while this year’s tea carries a more calm and graceful impression. It is elegant, gentle, and has a subtle depth. This year, it also shows a remarkably strong retronasal fragrance that remains vividly in memory.

For more on how white tea is made, its types, and how to brew and age it, see What Is White Tea?.