Our Imported Teas
Hand selected teas from the various regions of China brought back to UCC for all to enjoy.
Our Tea Curator
Louisa Louie
Wild Red Tea
Yunnan Province of China | Wuyi Mountains
Qi Zhong literally means "strange cultivars", which are the terms for a mixture of indigenous varietals and they are the native ancient tea bushes in Wu Yi Mountain. the bush are grown from seeds and have straight, long and bold roots extending straight into he ground, therefore it is easy to absorb minerals and it can produce tea with long-lasting and strong aftertaste.
The tea garden where these tea comes from is located deep inside the Wu Yi Mountain valley at altitude of 5,600 feet. The tea garden is only accessible by foot and via small narrow path. The Qi Zhong bushes have left to grown naturally by themselves and there is no management involved at all which allows the bushes to grow slower and absorbing more mineral and nutrition from the ground. The tea leaves are plucked at once creating a natural blend of teas that offers intensity and complexity of profile unparalleled by single varietals. They are highly prized by locals.
Ancient Red Tree Tea
Yunnan Province of China
An aged black tea, authentically prepared from 200-500 years old trees. Year after year the taste has grown and refined, becoming more and more long-lasting and filled with the complexity that tells about the hundreds of seasons that this ancient forest lived.
This is red tea at its utmost: premium quality leaves from ancient trees, entirely hand-processed to keep in as much of the flavor of century-old hidden trees of the forest.
The various steps of preparation involve different skills and multiple days in the mountain. Each step allows these leaves' history to fully express, in a dark amber intensity, the rings of the tree's big trunk, alive, statuesque, and wise.
Big Red Jacket Tea
Fujiyan Provence of China | Wuyi Mountain Range
The story of Big Red Robe tea begins in the Ming Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Wanli (1573-1620). According to legend, the emperor became ill and was unable to find a cure. In desperation, he sent his officials to search the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province for a miracle tea that would save his life.
They found a tea that was said to have healing properties, and they brought it back to the emperor. The emperor drank the tea and was miraculously cured. In gratitude, he bestowed upon the tea the name Big Red Jacket, in reference to the red jackets that emperors wore.
This legend that has become an important part of the history and culture of Big Red Robe tea. The tea is still grown and produced in the Wuyi Mountains, and it is still considered to be one of the finest oolong teas in the world.
Honey orchid Tea
Chaozou Provence of China | Phoenix Mountains
Found in the Phoenix Mountain of Chaozhou the Phoenix Dancong Oolong Tea is also called “the perfume of teas” due to its many aromatic variations.
In the tea’s long history, varying cultivation techniques have produced over a hundred forms of the Oolong. But all Dancong “single bush” teas bear the shared trait of being sourced from a single tea tree—which ensures a pure, unadulterated flavor in each batch. Our Phoenix Dancong varietal boasts a copper hue elixir that releases sweet orchid aromas and fruity flavors of lychee and cherry.
