Bánh Bạch Hào Trà Shan Tuyết Cổ Thụ
Harvest Location: Ta Xua, Son La, Vietnam
Cultivar: Shan Tuyết Ancient Trees
Elevation: 1700m
Harvest: Spring 2023
Harvested from ancient Shan Tuyết tea trees growing in the cloud-covered mountains of Tà Xùa, Sơn La Province, this exceptional 2023 Bạch Trà Trắng captures the untamed character of one of Vietnam's most celebrated high-mountain tea regions. Situated at 1,700 meters above sea level, these centuries-old tea trees thrive in a cool, mist-laden climate where mineral-rich soils, abundant rainfall, and dramatic day-to-night temperature shifts create ideal conditions for producing teas of extraordinary complexity and elegance.
The indigenous Shan Tuyết cultivar—known for its large leaves and silvery, down-covered buds—is harvested by H'Mông tea families whose generations of stewardship have protected these wild mountain forests and preserved their traditional tea-making knowledge. After careful hand-plucking during the spring harvest, the leaves undergo traditional white tea processing through natural withering and slow drying before being stone-pressed into a traditional tea cake. Pressing the tea not only makes it easier to transport and store but also encourages the tea to mature gracefully over time, gradually developing greater sweetness, depth, and complexity.
The dry tea cake releases delicate aromas of dried meadow grasses, wildflowers, fresh timber, and mountain herbs. Once infused, the liquor is luminous pale gold with a silky, refined body that unfolds into notes of alpine blossoms, sweet hay, wild honey, ripe stone fruit, and subtle forest botanicals. A gentle mineral sweetness, characteristic of Tà Xùa's ancient tea gardens, lingers through a long, clean finish that invites infusion after infusion.
Although vibrant and expressive in its youth, this pressed white tea is also prized for its exceptional aging potential. With proper storage, the tea cake will continue to evolve over the years, developing richer honeyed sweetness, dried fruit character, and increasing depth while retaining the elegant purity that defines ancient Shan Tuyết white tea.
This Spring 2023 Bạch Trà Trắng is a timeless expression of Vietnam's mountain tea heritage, where ancient tea trees and traditional craftsmanship come together to create a tea that is equally rewarding to enjoy today or cellar for years to come.
