Settling Tea Mountain
斯安茶山
Our Mountain
Nestled in Fengqing, Lincang, Yunnan—the birthplace of Dian Hong (Yunnan Black Tea)—our 50-acre tea mountain in De Si Li, Mengyou, Fengqing County, sits at an elevation of 2,100 meters (6,890 feet). The mountain belongs to the Lancang River basin, a region blessed with four distinct seasons: a brisk spring, a fleeting summer, a mild autumn, and a barely noticeable winter, with an average annual temperature ranging from 10-20°C (50-68°F).
This tea plantation, nurtured by nature for centuries, only came under our family’s care in the 1990s. The tea-making season predominantly occurs in spring and autumn, with summer leaves also available, though they tend to be less flavorful and visually appealing. This is why we carefully select the majority of our leaves during the spring and autumn seasons, ensuring the finest quality for our production.
In 2008, we began harvesting and selling our tea commercially, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our guiding principle, “small in quantity, premium in quality,” ensures that every leaf meets our rigorous standards. We take pride in our transparency and commitment to quality, with all our Pu-erh and white teas being 100% hand-picked and handmade.
Tree & Leaf
Surrounded by towering peaks, deep gorges, and a persistent blanket of mist, our tea mountain enjoys a secluded location with minimal traffic and few settlements, resulting in exceptionally low pollution levels. This unique natural setting, coupled with warm and humid conditions, provides an ideal environment for our tea trees, which thrive in the region’s acidic red soil, rich in organic content.
Our tea trees, aged between 70 and 90 years, are all Yunnan big-leaf arbor varieties. These trees, with their robust trunks, broad dark leaves, and thick, hairy buds, produce tea with a high polyphenol content, thanks to the protective environment they grow in. Despite their poor cold resistance, the favorable climate of our mountain is crucial for the growth and quality of these big-leaf tea trees.
Settling Teas
Pu-erh
Our Pu-erh tea offers a fresh, sweet taste with a balanced level of astringency. After our first harvest in 2008, we sought the expertise of a professional tea taster, and the results were outstanding. One memorable comment was that it tasted “like honey water” (像蜂蜜水一样), a description we’ve embraced and now use to characterize our Pu-erh tea (Honey Water). The tea’s smooth, sweet profile has gained increasing popularity each year, standing out as its most defining characteristic.
White
Our white tea, affectionately named “Settling Moonlight/Settling White,” is rich, warm, and light, with subtle notes reminiscent of our Pu-erh tea’s “Honey Water” quality. This delicate tea, the second type we produce, earns its name from the unique harvesting and production process. The leaves are never exposed to direct sunlight; instead, they are dried in the shade during the day and under the moonlight at night. The tea’s appearance reflects this process, with its light silver and dark hues mirroring the moon when it is not fully illuminated. The aroma and flavor of Settling Moonlight are as unique as its production, offering a truly special tea experience.
