Stash Kongfu Black Tea
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Stash Kongfu Black Tea

Our Kongfu black tea is produced at the Yunxian tea garden in ancient Yunnan province in southwestern China, which borders Vietnam, Laos and Burma. This cloudy and misty mountainous province has grown tea for 1700 years. The "yun" in Yunnan means "cloud" and most tea in Yunnan is grown at elevations of 3000 to 7000 feet. The tea plant itself is often considered a native of Yunnan as 260 different varieties, some the size of large trees, can be found here.

Yunnan leads all other Chinese provinces in black tea production. Yunnan black teas are produced from a strain of ancient native broad leafed "Dayeh" tea bushes which are also used for the famous medicinal Pu-erh tea. These tea bushes grow along the Lancang River in southern Yunnan province. They have a longer life span, earlier and stronger buds, fat shoots, and thick, soft leaves. As evidence of how important climate and soil conditions are to tea bushes, if this native broad leafed Dayeh strain is transplanted anywhere else in China, it produces the typical "China leaf" which is narrow, thin and dull in comparison. Transplant the same bush to its native environment, and it produces broad, thick, glossy, tippy leaves again.

Kongfu tea is produced from tender fresh leaf plucked from young tea gardens. It is characterized by straight, pretty leaf buds with golden tips and distinct golden hair which produces a dark, yet lustrous appearance. It has a fresh and fragrant aroma with a reddish-brown liquor. This is a full bodied tea that makes a wonderful breakfast tea with a strong, yet smooth cup that has a slightly smoky aftertaste. It is excellent plain or with a splash of milk.