Tea: Forever Spring (oolong tea)

Grower: Yen Hwai Li

Teamaker: Fu Chen & Ai Fang

Origin: Zhushan Township - Nantou County, Taiwan

Elevation: 500m (1,640 ft)

Cultivation: Natural (Organic, but no certification)

Harvest Date: Spring 2021

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Orchid • Pineapple • Creamed honey • Pure spring water

Juicy, soft texture with clean finish

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The Tea

Forever Spring is named for its cultivar, Si Ji Chun, or "Four Seasons Spring". While most tea bushes can only produce tea 2-3 times a year, Si Ji Chun is constantly flushing, as if it were forever in springtime.

Tea farmers enjoy abundant harvests from this fast-growing, hardy cultivar. It produces mild, sweet teas with a striking floral fragrance.

Ai Fang's Forever Spring is sweet, floral, but also incredibly pure. This can only be achieved through natural cultivation and simple, but perfect processing. The leaves are hand-plucked from an all-natural garden, free of chemicals and pesticides. The leaves are then withered carefully to remove excess moisture, then lightly oxidized.

The tea's gentle journey from farm to cup allows the true character of the leaves to shine through. Forever Spring is delicately fruity, floral and sweet. Juicy, with no bitterness.

To produce a more robust profile, Ai Fang also makes a lightly-roasted Forever Spring. It is inspired by the classic Dong Ding style that was popularized in the 1970s. Forever Spring Classic.

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The Grower & Teamaker

Forever Spring is grown by Yen Hwai Li in Zhushan, located in central Nantou. Nantou County is the heart of Taiwan's tea production. It is home to famous origins like Alishan, Dong Ding, and Shan Lin Xi. There are less famous areas, like Zhushan, which nonetheless produce excellent tea in the right conditions.

Forever Spring is grown by Yen Hwai Li in Zhushan, located in central Nantou. Nantou County is the heart of Taiwan's tea production. It is home to famous origins like Alishan, Dong Ding, and Shan Lin Xi. There are less famous areas, like Zhushan, which nonetheless produce excellent tea in the right conditions.

The garden is situated in a humid, low-elevation area, which attracts pests and insects. While it is challenging to use organic methods here, Yen Hwai Li is committed to organic cultivation. Li also uses micro-organisms to revitalize the soil, bringing biodiversity and healthy soils to the garden.

The tea is crafted by Ai Fang of jhentea. Her family's tea history dates back to the 19th century, and she is the 4th generation teamaker.