Posts by Elizabeth Miranda

The late celebrated Shifeng Longjing tea master Weng Shangyi showing the Longjing quntizhong tea bushes in his garden. Many of them are over 50 years old. The Weng family has been making tribute tea in this area for generations.

How do Heirloom Tea Cultivars Affect the Price of Tea?

Understanding Quntizhong: China’s Heirloom Tea Plants Among the wide variety of available tea cultivars, where do heirloom plants fit in? The specific variety of tea plant used to make any tea has a big influence on the final product. All of the hundreds of tea cultivars in existence have their own distinct flavors, aromas, and… // MORE

Two different years of Ming Qian An Ji Bai Cha green tea leaves side by side. The fresh is green and the aged is brown.

What’s So Special About Aged Tea?

Though somewhat counterintuitive, aged tea is in fact a recent phenomenon. Before the 21st century, fresh tea was always considered to be the best. However, while it is true that freshly made teas tend to have the strongest and brightest aromas, many types of tea develop fascinating new flavors and textures with time. Tea that… // MORE