{"product_id":"lao-cong-mei-zhan","title":"Lao Cong Mei Zhan - 50gr","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n\n\/* =========================\n   DESIGN SYSTEM\n   ========================= *\/\n\n:root {\n  --space-xs: 10px;\n  --space-s: 16px;\n  --space-m: 28px;\n  --space-l: 60px;\n  --space-xl: 100px;\n}\n\n\n\/* =========================\n   SHARED GRID (DETAILS + GONGFU)\n   ========================= *\/\n\n.grid-3 {\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);\n  gap: 40px;\n\n  padding: 28px 0;\n  margin-bottom: var(--space-l);\n\n  border-top: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.08);\n}\n\n\/* =========================\n   COLUMNS\n   ========================= *\/\n\n.column h3 {\n  font-size: 10px;\n  text-transform: uppercase;\n  letter-spacing: 2px;\n  color: rgba(0,0,0,0.55);\n  font-weight: 600;\n  margin-bottom: 22px;\n}\n\n\/* =========================\n   DETAIL BLOCK (SHARED)\n   ========================= *\/\n\n.detail {\n  margin-bottom: 18px;\n}\n\n.detail span {\n  display: block;\n  font-size: 14px;\n  letter-spacing: 1.4px;\n  text-transform: uppercase;\n  color: #4a423a;\n  font-weight: bold;\n  margin-bottom: 6px;\n}\n\n.detail p {\n  margin: 0;\n  font-weight: 400;\n  line-height: 1.55;\n}\n\n\/* =========================\n   NOTES\n   ========================= *\/\n\n.tea-notes {\n  margin-bottom: var(--space-xl);\n  padding: 20px 0;\n\n  border-top: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.06);\n}\n\n\/* =========================\n   MOBILE\n   ========================= *\/\n\n@media (max-width: 749px) {\n\n  body {\n    padding: 16px;\n  }\n\n  .grid-3 {\n    grid-template-columns: 1fr;\n    gap: 28px;\n  }\n}\n\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTea Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"grid-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eProvince\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFujian\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eArea\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnxi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eElevation\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e~800 above sea level\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSpecific Origin\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong Juan\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eProducer\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiu Yuan Hui\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eProcess\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eHarvest Season\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpring 2025\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eCultivar\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Cong Mei Zhan (120yo minimum tree)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eRoasting Level\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium +\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eCertification\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTaste\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eMain Character\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpicy, flowery, complex\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"detail\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePairing\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eMy Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tea-notes\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6 g · 80 ml Yixing Hongni teapot · Water just off the boil\nThese Mei Zhan trees were already growing in Long Juan when I first visited the village. They had not been harvested for decades. According to Liu Yuan Hui, the trees were already there when his grandfather was a young boy, placing them at well over a century old. As the surrounding tea gardens continued to be cultivated, these trees were left largely undisturbed, gradually becoming what we now call half-wild (半野放).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first impression comes from the fragrance beneath the teapot lid, with a striking resemblance to candied ginger. It is the aroma of ginger after being preserved in sugar, without the sweetness itself. This character carries consistently into the liquor of the first two infusions, accompanied by a gentle but steady sensation of warmth. Behind the ginger, there are other spice associations, perhaps cinnamon bark or angelica dahurica root (Bai Zhi), depending on the person tasting. They share a similar warm, aromatic character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe liquor has a substantial body, coating the palate with a smooth texture. The roast is perceptible as the tea passes down the throat, while the ginger-like spice persists through the finish. The returning sweetness and salivation are particularly pronounced, developing naturally after swallowing. The sensation in the throat is remarkably smooth, open and well-lubricated, without any feeling of tightness or dryness. By the second infusion, the aromatic profile remains coherent, with the same warmth running through both the fragrance and the liquor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFloral and woody notes emerge gradually alongside one another. The floral character leans towards white flowers, somewhere between a deeper, more subdued gardenia and tuberose, with a faint milky quality. The woody notes seem closely tied to the age of the trees and the environment in which they have grown, rather than to the processing or roasting. There is also a delicate scent reminiscent of dry lichen clinging to tree branches, slightly woody and cool, with something of the clean air of a forest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the leaves open further through the third and fourth infusions, the initial spice becomes part of a broader aromatic profile. The white flowers, wood and lichen-like notes sit alongside the lingering ginger character. The liquor retains its weight and smoothness, while the returning sweetness and salivation continue well beyond each sip. The throat remains comfortable and moist, contributing to the tea's long, sustained finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter decades without harvesting, these old Mei Zhan trees are producing tea once again. I am curious to follow how the tea develops through subsequent harvests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Jing Tea Shop","offers":[{"title":"8gr sample","offer_id":48171346624689,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50gr pouch","offer_id":48171346657457,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0274\/0309\/2021\/files\/Laocong-meizhan-oolong.png?v=1792683276","url":"https:\/\/www.jingteashop.com\/products\/lao-cong-mei-zhan","provider":"Jing Tea Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}