This is an unknown treasure! I spent three years living in the shadow of Laoshan (Mt. Lao) where this tea is produced. The yearly picking is tiny in comparison to export-driven tea growing areas. Most people in China have not heard of this tea. I am pretty suprised to even see an entry here. If you managed to get your hands on some Laoshan and it was not mind-blowing, please don’t judge all Laoshan tea from that one. As with any area, there is a huge range of quality. The farmers I had a chance to work with still hand process each batch. The best Laoshan tea can hold its own against anything, from Dragonwell to Gyokuro. The fields are fertilized with soybeans to give the tea a more rich and creamy taste. Very interesting tea. I am importing the spring 2011 batch from some farmer friends to introduce it to America properly.
Lao Shan Cha
As a famous breed of green tea in North China, Laoshan tea is produced in Laoshan Mountain in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Being the only mountain over one thousand meters in altitude along China’s coastline, Laoshan Mountain is a time-honored famous Taoist mountain with picturesque scenery and pleasant weather. Tea trees growing here are of long growth period due to the unique weather and favorable entironment. Therefore, the tea leaves nurtured by the excellent natural conditions on the mountain are featured by thickness, mellow savor, abundance in nutrition, and natural fragrance, while the liquor is clear and jade green.
Laoshan tea is a famous breed of tea nurtured by the renowned mountain and springs on it. There are lots of famous springs in the Laoshan Mountain. The water there is clear, free of pollution, sweetish and abundant in minerals beneficial to human health. Laoshan tea brewed in such spring water is excellent in color, figure, scent, savor and artistic conception.
