HOJO original tailor-made tea from Yunnan

In HOJO’s tea lineup, we offer many teas produced in Yunnan Province, China. We are particularly interested in Yunnan tea because, with careful searching, it is still possible to find natural farming tea gardens. Tea collected from these gardens is of outstanding quality, especially with its long-lasting aftertaste. However, we also face a dilemma with Yunnan tea. Many manufacturers handle fresh tea leaves roughly, and processing management is often inconsistent. In many cases, fresh leaves are damaged and turn dark before reaching the factory. Even high-quality raw material can be spoiled during processing. Being aware of these challenges, we have developed our own method to manage tea quality.

Tailor-made tea

Since 2015, we have stopped purchasing ready-made tea directly from manufacturers. Instead, we work with reliable producers to create tailor-made teas. Before 2015, we would visit manufacturers, evaluate already-produced teas, and purchase those that met our standards. However, we realized that better results could be achieved by managing key aspects ourselves:

1. Selecting the tea garden and specific area for harvesting
2. Defining the plucking standard
3. Specifying processing parameters

Selecting the ideal tea garden

In Yunnan, tea gardens—especially those with older trees—are often owned by ethnic minorities living in mountainous regions. They harvest leaves and sell them to manufacturers, and sometimes produce raw pu-erh themselves. However, their processing methods are often inconsistent and lack refinement, leading to issues such as over-firing and other defects. Manufacturers typically purchase leaves from multiple farmers and classify them according to their own standards. If we want tea from a specific garden, we must visit before the harvest season and clearly define the exact location and conditions for collection. We specify the area, the type of tea trees, and ensure that the leaves come from natural farming environments.

Plucking standard

There are several plucking standards for pu-erh tea, such as one bud with one leaf, one bud with two leaves, one bud with three leaves, or random plucking. The chosen standard significantly affects the flavor and texture. We determine the plucking standard based on the desired cup profile. For example: - For Yan Ming Shan raw pu-erh, we use one bud with two leaves to emphasize a creamy texture and mellow taste. - For Wu Liang Shan and Ma An Shan, we use one bud with three to four leaves to achieve stronger flavor, reduced bitterness, and a more fruity profile.

Customized processing

In pu-erh production, there are large variations in withering time and pan-frying methods among manufacturers. Longer withering reduces moisture in the leaves, making pan-frying more difficult and increasing the risk of burning. On the other hand, insufficient withering can result in a green, grassy flavor (箐味). Recently, some manufacturers use very light pan-frying, leaving enzymes active for further fermentation during sunshine drying. This can produce a floral flavor similar to lightly fermented oolong tea. However, such teas are not ideal for aging. We carefully balance withering and pan-frying to create teas that are enjoyable when fresh while also suitable for long-term aging. In addition to pu-erh, we apply this tailor-made approach to black tea and white tea as well. We have been visiting Yunnan since 2010, but only began implementing tailor-made production in 2015. This approach carries more risk, as we are responsible for the outcome. It requires deep understanding of tea cultivation, leaf selection, and processing. Most importantly, it depends on strong relationships and shared philosophy with trusted tea manufacturers. In fact, some highly quality-focused Chinese tea companies also adopt this tailor-made approach. As we continue refining our methods each year, we look forward to the results of our latest commissioned teas.