Single trunk, spring 2025, Wudong village.
Every April I walk the ancient tea terraces of Wudong, where mists roll through old Phoenix single-trunk bushes. This Mí Lán Xiāng comes from a 60-year-old tree perched at 850 meters, a cultivar known for its honey-orchid perfume. In 2025, the budbreak was late but steady — cool nights preserved the essential oils. The pluckers harvested one bud and two leaves by hand, delivering a small lot of about six kilograms of fresh leaf. I supervised the processing myself in the family workshop: sun-withering on bamboo trays until the edges gave off a honeyed scent; gentle shaking to bruise the leaves for even oxidation; then a quick high-heat fixation to lock the fragrance. After hand-rolling, the tea underwent two rounds of charcoal roasting — a low, slow roast that deepened the honey note without masking the floral high tones. The result: a crystal-clear liquor with a bouquet that shifts from wild orchid to ripe apricot as the infusion cools. I selected this micro-lot for worldtea.shop because it showcases the precision of Wudong dancong: silky body, vanishing astringency, and a huigan that rises like a spring breeze. Drink it slowly; the third steep often reveals a subtle almond-butter roundness.