(China Special Orange Pekoe Black Tea)

Chingwo County Orange Pekoe is a classic quality China black tea. The leaf is very well graded displaying a uniform leaf size with a little bit of ‘tip.’ ‘Tip’ is the tip of the new shoots and during the manufacturing process these tips turn a gold brown. ‘Tippy tea’ is a leading indicator of exceptional quality, selective grading and is usually only available in the first few weeks of the new season (New season teas have the most flavor, are the rarest and most eagerly sought after by tea connoisseurs). Chingwo County is known as ‘Mao’s Long March Tea,’ because it is a good quality tea that is reasonably affordable by the “proletariat.” Chingwo County Orange Pekoe is made from locally grown Daibaicha tea bushes. These bushes are renown for their stout, full-flavor and distinct taste and wiry leaf appearance. The best way to describe the full flavored taste is to think of a full-bodied red wine with a lovely, dry, pungent or oak-y character. Chingwo County Orange Pekoe is an excellent tea, particularly suited for an afternoon tea with dainty cucumber sandwiches followed by creamy, sweet, vanilla cookies.