TONGMU · WUYI, FUJIAN

From Tongmu

Follow the leaves from the mountains of Wuyishan to the tea table, and get to know traditional pine-smoked Lapsang Souchong and classic Jin Jun Mei.

Start with the landscape

Mountain valleys of Wuyishan, Fujian

01 · PLACE

Landscape and soil

Start in the valleys of Tongmu, in Wuyishan, Fujian. Tea gardens follow the slopes and meet the forest.

Tea gardens surrounded by forest in Wuyishan — Tea gardens in the Wuyishan landscape.

A view from above

From above, you can see the rows following the slope and the forest bordering the tea garden.

Tea rows on a wooded hillside beside a small house — Tea garden on a wooded slope.

02 · FRESH LEAF

Picking and fresh leaves

The two teas begin with different picking standards. Classic Jin Jun Mei (ZST01) uses individual buds. Traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong (ZST14) uses one bud and two tender leaves.

Tea pickers working among green tea bushes — Picking fresh tea leaves.

Fresh tea leaves spread in a sheltered processing area — Fresh leaves spread out for withering.

JIN JUN MEI

Classic Jin Jun Mei

ZST01 · Individual buds. Only the bud of the new shoot is picked.

LAPSANG SOUCHONG

Traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong

ZST14 · One bud and two leaves. The bud is picked together with its two tender leaves.

03 · CRAFT

Making the tea

Black tea goes through withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. These photographs show rolling, the traditional Qinglou smoking space and sorting.

Hands rolling fresh tea leaves on a wooden surface — Rolling fresh tea leaves by hand.

A traditional wooden Qinglou in Tongmu — Exterior of a Qinglou, a traditional tea-processing building.

Wooden beams inside a traditional tea-processing building — The traditional smoking and drying space inside a Qinglou.

Hands sorting tea on a bamboo tray — Sorting tea on a bamboo tray.

TRADITIONAL PINE SMOKE

Traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong

The Qinglou is central to traditional smoking. During smoke drying, pine smoke gives the tea its characteristic aroma.

Explore the Lapsang Souchong craft

BUD BLACK TEA

Classic Jin Jun Mei

In 2005, the Zheng Shan Tang team developed Jin Jun Mei from local black-tea techniques. It skips the traditional pine-smoking step. Look for floral, fruity and honeyed aromas in the cup.

Explore classic Jin Jun Mei

04 · PACK & KEEP

Packaging and storage

Check the name, pack size and storage instructions on the tin. Packaging can vary by the size you choose.

Tin of Zheng Shan Tang classic Jin Jun Mei — Classic Jin Jun Mei tin.

Tin of Zheng Shan Tang traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong — Traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong tin.

After opening

Follow the instructions on the package and reseal it after use.
Store somewhere dry and dark, away from strong odours and heat.

05 · TASTE & SHOP

Tasting and shopping

Brew both teas under similar conditions. Compare aroma, colour and texture, then decide whether you prefer the honeyed, floral and fruity cup or the fuller pine-smoked style.

Brewed tea in a glass pitcher — Tea ready to taste.

A tea setting in a Zheng Shan Tang courtyard — Tea in the courtyard.

Classic Jin Jun Mei

ZST01 · Floral, fruity and honeyed, with a fine texture

View classic Jin Jun Mei

Traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong

ZST14 · Pine-smoke aroma and a full, sweet finish

View traditional smoked Lapsang Souchong

Start with a sampler Read the brewing guide

MORE BLACK TEA ORIGINS

Zheng Shan Tang · Junmei China

From Tongmu, Zheng Shan Tang brought its Junmei tea-making craft to other regions of China, working with local leaves to make black teas with distinctive regional flavours.

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From Tongmu