Description
Doi Pu Muen Spring Wild White Tea
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“Doi Pu Muen Spring Wild White Tea” is a rare white tea from northern Thailand. It is picked – once a year in spring – from wild tea trees in the forests of Doi Pu Muen. The tea leaves come from tea trees that are up to 20 meters high and have been native to the region for thousands of years. The careful hand picking and the gentle, predominantly manual artisan processing give the tea a uniquely mild and soft taste. The fine citrus note and the complex aroma of familiar meadow herbs make it a particularly elegant tea speciality. Thanks to the low caffeine content of the native tea tree variety, Doí Pu Muen Ancient Wild White Tea is also ideal for evening enjoyment and for tea lovers who are more sensitive to caffeine.
Origin
The tea comes from the mountain forests of Doi Pu Muen, part of the Doi Mae Salong mountain range in northern Thailand. Altitudes between 1200 and over 2200 meters (Doi Pa Hom Pok) make the area ideal for growing tea, coffee and other crops. The region is also known for its breathtaking landscape, its cultural treasures and its exceptional wealth of natural resources. Among the latter are the ancient tea trees that have been native here for millennia. Harvesting tea leaves from these trees is a tradition passed down by the Lahu tribe, which migrated here over 200 years ago.
Wild Tea in Spring – Doi Pu Muen, Nordthailand
Producer
The Lahu cooperative responsible for picking and processing the “Doi Pu Muen Spring Wild White Tea” supports sustainable agriculture and the preservation of natural areas. At this, the cooperative basically relies on 2 resources. One of these is the tea leaves from the wild tea trees in the forests surrounding the village. And the other is a natural tea garden on the edge of the village itself, planted in 1970 by Jaffa Jaikor, the last great leader of the Lahu in northern Thailand.
The founder of the cooperative is Jirawan Jaikor, a daughter of Jaffa Jaikor. She is committed to the sustainable management of both the tea garden and the wild tea trees. Jirawan has also set up a tea school in her village where she offers day courses for tourists. Jirawan promotes and organizes these courses through the “Phu Ma Nee Guest House” she runs in the nearby town of Fang. Her commitment to preserving Lahu culture and promoting the tea craft have made the region internationally known.
Picking
The leaves for Doi Pu Muen Spring Wild White Tea are hand-picked only once a year, during April. At this, pickers adhere to a strict picking standard of “1+2”. This means, only one unopened bud with the two youngest attached leaves qualify for picking. The perfectly timed picking and meticulous hand-selection ensure the highest leaf grade and best tea quality.
Processing
After picking, the tea leaves are transported to the nearby tea factory. There, they wither over several days at temperatures of up to 65°C in a dome-shaped structure made of transparent plastic on an aluminum frame. In addition to strict temperature control, this “drying dome” enables regulated air exchange via a row of fans.
As is typical for white tea, the processing sequence skips oxidation stop and intense heat drying. Also, there is no rolling of the tea leaves, preserving the outer leaf structure and inner cell integrity. Thanks to the gentle, slow drying, the ingredients of the green tea leaf remain almost unchanged. The result is a white tea that reflects the natural state of the tea leaves and offers an unadulterated aroma.
Taste & Appearance
The tea leaves shine in fresh, spring-like colors and unfold a clear, light yellow in the cup. The taste is citrus-fresh with gentle, floral notes reminiscent of fresh hay and meadow herbs. Subtly accompanied by sweet hints of honey, the tea leaves a feather-light, soft mouthfeel. It is free from bitter or sour notes that can sometimes occur in other wild white teas, offering a balanced and delicate aroma.
Preparation
A western approach and the Gong Fu method are equally suitable for preparing this exceptional tea. In both cases, a water temperature of 100°C at a dosage of 2-3g of tea leaves per 100ml of water are recommendable. For western preparation, steep the leaves for 3–5 minutes for an intense, full-bodied infusion. Alternatively, you might sttep the leaves in several shorter infusions, allowing for the gradual release of the fine flavor nuances.
For more details on white tea and its special processing features, please visit and read the following article:
My Little Tea School, Lesson 8/6
Tea Processing (6) – The Processing of White Tea
And here is to more naturally cultivated teas from Northern Thailand:
Then, for more white teas @ Siam Tea Shop – many of them from natural cultivation, visit the following links:
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