Farmer's Choice Baozhong 2024 Spring
Baozhong is fragrant, open leaf oolong on the green side of the spectrum. Leaves are long and spindly. Our Farmer's Choice version is made with a special slow growing cultivar that has a unique fruity-savory taste, and is oxidized a bit more than its Competition Style counterpart. This brings the notes into the realm of fruit rather than the bright flowery bouquet of prize seeking Baozhong.
This Baozhong is made by the Chen family in Pinling, with whom we've had a long relationship that has now followed them into the second generation of tea makers. We have been working with them since 2005. Master Chen, the patriarch of the family, was born into a family of rice farmers and switched to tea when he was 17. He is a delightful, hard working and upbeat man. Their family does every step of the processing in house instead of outsourcing -- as is common practice.
Particularly sweet and juicy this season, this tea is a great representation of what Farmer's Choice Baozhong can do. Rich flaxen gold broth, full body, fruity aroma of pineapple and a bit of peach, along with summer squash in the mid range and leaning into some earthier tones on the bottom end. Substantial aftertaste lingers in the mouth and throat long after the swallow with its unique Farmer's Choice aroma. Texture is a mix of mineral and nearly creamy.
Out of all the Baozhong teas we carry, this one is most well suited to (at least short term) aging. I think it tastes its best about 6 months to a year after harvest. With this batch having even more base than what we're used to, I wouldn't be surprised if it could age even longer.
Facts
- Harvest Location : Pinglin, Taiwan
- Harvest Date : May, 2024
- Cultivar : Man Zhong
- Farming Method : Conventional