Fragrant Bud Yellow

The tea comes from Taoyuan county, Wuling mountain district, in Hunan.  The Wuling region is a UNESCO recognized World Heritage site, and is known for its craggy cliffs surrounded by clouds and mists (good for tea!).  The elevation of the gardens is at 1,000-1,100 meters, and there is a single plucking each year beginning mid-March and ending early April.  The tea bush is named Taoyuan Big Leaf (varietal).  After withering and de-enzyming, the leaves are covered for a total of between 10-15 hours, with most of the warmth generated at the beginning of the process when the leaves are still warm from the de-enzyming step.  The distinctive feature is that the leaves were oxidized lightly, about 15-20%, which is obvious once you taste it.  Use 1 teaspoon (3g) per 6 ounces spring water heated to 175-185°F, steeping 45 seconds at first, and increasing the steeping time with each subsequent infusion until the flavor begins to fade.