Lu Shan Yun Wu

Though the evocative name Yun Wu, meaning ‘clouds [and] mist’, is a frequent moniker for roasted teas from alpine regions, the venerable sort from Lu Shan has been of note since at least the Song Dynasty. One whiff of the wettened leaves will conjure that mountain floating on a sea of clouds, the moisture and the scent of pine bathing the tea plants before they are plucked and subjected to a delicate and time-honed process of wok-roasting, shaking, rolling on bamboo, and roasting again. Harvested before the Qingming Festival (the fifteenth day after the vernal equinox), the tea is particularly prized. The scent of sugar snap peas, crisp and milky, is a wonderful complement to the slight tannins and aroma of freshly baked brioche that floats adrift. A perfect extract of a lush mountain in a teacup.