Veiled in perpetual mist, the rolling Wuyi Mountains shelter a century-old ancient tea garden tucked deep amid clouds. Weathered by a hundred years of wind and rain, the ancient tea bushes root firmly into red cliff crevices, drawing mineral essence from rocky strata, mist moisture and seasonal radiance to forge distinct character. Selected by Tongxin She Teahouse, the 2020 Baoguoyan Lao Cong Mei Zhan emerges as a precious aged Zhengyan cliff tea refined and matured by time, embodying exclusive charm of its mountain plot and individual tea tree.
Baoguoyan crowns the summit of the legendary Incredible Ridge within Niulankeng, bordering Languyan and Jinjiaoyi. Situated in the core Zhengyan zone of Wuyi’s renowned Three Ravines & Two Streams, it boasts an unparalleled terroir. Surrounded by sturdy pines and bamboo, the garden is shrouded in year-round mist with abundant humidity. Its elevated ridge position delivers ample sunlight and sharp day-night temperature gaps, boosting the accumulation of polyphenols and aromatic compounds within tea leaves. This crafts its signature penetrating aroma and crisp, refreshing cliff rhythm—differentiated from the mild, restrained character of bottom-valley teas, presenting bold, open mountain demeanor with prominent cliff bone and unparalleled temperament.
Originally introduced from Anxi, Mei Zhan has thrived in Wuyi for decades. As the ancient saying goes, Oranges turn bitter when grown north of the Huai River, yet Mei Zhan achieved complete metamorphosis amid Wuyi’s matchless natural terrain. Nurtured by mineral-rich weathered cliff soil and mild mountain microclimate of Three Ravines & Two Streams, Mei Zhan shed its exotic traits and fully integrated with Wuyi cliff terroir. Endowed with rich fragrance, mellow liquor and distinct Lao Cong charm, it has secured its standing among Wuyi’s elite cultivars, evolving into a rare, highly collectible cliff tea variety. Matured through years of cellaring, the 2020 Baoguoyan Lao Cong Mei Zhan unites terroir, cultivar and vintage excellence into a rich, multi-layered flavour profile.
Product Profile
Vintage: 2020 (Aged Cliff Tea)
Terroir: Zhengyan Niulankeng, Baoguoyan Ridge Summit
Cultivar: Lao Cong Mei Zhan
Roast Level: Medium Roast
Dry Tea: Tightly twisted, sturdy dark brown tea strips with glossy texture, bearing the seasoned texture of aged tea. A subtle, restrained floral scent unfolds on first sniff, paired with faint aged fragrance refined by years of maturation.
Tasting Notes
Upon brewing, an elegant wintersweet aroma first pervades the liquor, akin to wintersweet blooming quietly amid winter snow—crisp and pure with subtle, understated lingering scent. Mid-sips unveil steady woody Lao Cong notes, reminiscent of leafless centennial ancient trees in winter, with gnarled branches conveying serene mountain tranquility and authentic Lao Cong character. Later infusions reveal soft, warm brown rice fragrance, balancing the crisp wintersweet and muted woody tones with gentle warmth, creating gradual, harmonious flavour progression.
The liquor boasts luxuriously delicate, silky texture gliding effortlessly down the throat. Full-bodied, bright and refreshing, it delivers prolonged sweet aftertaste with subtle cooling sensation lingering across the palate. Salivation unfolds gently and enduringly, leaving profound lingering charm for refined appreciation, marking it an exceptional aged Zhengyan Lao Cong. After ten infusions, brewed leaf residue releases intense bamboo leaf fragrance paired with lasting rock sugar sweetness, delivering warming mellow sweetness and elevating the tasting experience to new artistic heights.
Six years of cellaring have softened the sharp harshness of freshly produced tea. The 2020 Baoguoyan Lao Cong Mei Zhan encapsulates Baoguoyan’s bright cliff rhythm, exclusive Lao Cong notes, Mei Zhan’s iconic wintersweet aroma and vintage aged charm. Every steep captures mountain spirit; every sip savours the precious fragrance of time.