Name: 2019 Sanhe Liupao Dark Tea
Place of origin: Wuzhou, Guangxi province, south China
Aroma: Mellow sweetness, woody notes
Flavour: Mellow, earthy and full-bodied, smooth, sweet aftertaste

Please be aware the tea will come in an airtight paper pouch. Unfortunately the Liupao wicker baskets are unavailable for purchase at present.

I’ve been in love with Liupao ever since I first tried it. Back in 2016 my husband and I lived for a year among the Karst mountains of Guilin down in South China. It was there that my love affair with traditional Chinese tea truly began. Back then we were only just starting out on our journey into teas beyond green, and were enamoured with the bold flavours of Lapsang Souchong and Pu’er. Despite living in Guangxi province, the home of Liupao, for that whole year, we had failed to come across this lesser-known tea. On the very last day before we were due to leave and move back to my hometown that we decided to drink in the sights one last time. It was then that we had the good fortune to venture into a small teahouse and meet the owner, who sat down and shared a cup of local Liupao tea with us. It was an unforgettable experience, and I’ve been in love with the flavours ever since!

I sing the praises of Liupao not just because I lived in the place where it originates from – it is so much deeper than that. The unique flavours, so different to other teas, capture you as you drink, taking you on a journey into the distinctive terroir where the leaves have grown up in. Each sip feels as if you are walking along the tea terraces in Guangxi, breathing in the fresh, warm air and drinking next to the small streams at the edges of the fields.

This Liupao was made by Wuzhou tea factory which is the most famous Liupao tea factory in China. It has been aged for 4 years, stored in the professional tea warehouse to allow for mellow and sweet flavours to develop in the leaves. The tea should be steeped with boiling water, I recommend brewing around 4-5 times in your teapot, then transfer the leaves to a glass or clay kettle where you can brew over a rolling boil. This will stew out the more complex flavours that remain within the leaves.