PROFILE: SPICE, PEPPER, DARK CHOCOLATE, RED BEAN, WOOD, CARAMEL 

ORIGIN: SUOI GIANG, YEN BAI, VIETNAM

HARVEST: OCTOBER 2023

An exclusive small batch artisan produced black tea from Suoi Giang in Yen Bai province – one of the most respected areas in Vietnam for wild tea processing.  Mossy Frog leaves carry the rich malty aromas of black tea but when brewed is far more complex with flavours ranging from spice, pepper, red bean and dark chocolate through to woody and caramel.  The bright dark amber liquor has a pleasing full-bodied mouthfeel with sweet aftertaste.  The leaves, sourced from deep rooted, slow growing ancient trees, can be infused up to 5 or 6 times and still be at their best.

Mossy Frog uses similar harvested green leaf material as our other Suoi Giang teas.  Leaves are picked from old, wild grown trees scattered across the mountain by ethnic H’Mong families.  The tea is produced in a small workshop using traditional hands-on techniques that limits batch size to between 15 and 20 kg of fresh leaf – or 3 – 4 kg of finished tea.  Mossy Frog is produced from one bud and two leaves and thus contains a high proportion of tips.

Mossy Frog is named for a species of mottled green and brown frog (also known as the Tonkin Bug Eyed Frog) native to the rainforests of northern Vietnam (and possibly also found in parts of neighbouring China and Laos).  It’s habitat is under threat by continued forest loss.

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