Up and Away 2026 Tea

Description

TAKE A LOOK AROUND | The Xishuangbanna region of China, located in the southernmost part of the Yunnan province, is home to some of the most prolific tea-growing microclimates in the world. There are six ancient tea-growing mountains on each side of the Lancang River, each with their own distinct terroir and personality. This unique collaborative tea cake is composed of two different teas grown on two of those storied mountains: an oxidized black tea from Gedeng, and a sun-dried white tea from Bulang (specifically, from the renowned Banzhang village).

TRUST THE PROCESS | Both varieties were picked at peak ripeness on their respective mountainsides, but their paths diverge from there. The Gedeng leaf is fully oxidized into black tea, while the Banzhang leaf undergoes traditional sun-drying. They are then pressed together into one cake by the careful hands of Xiaohui Quan, a master teamaker in Yunnan with over 35 years of experience in the craft.

TAKE A SIP | While we traditionally refer to our combined coffees as “blends,” this tea cake is better described as layered. Each tea remains distinct and has its own role to play in the cup, making the entire sipping experience a dynamic and inviting one. Gedeng’s black tea is smooth and silky, lending notes of brown sugar, toasted cashews, and vanilla to the profile. The white tea from Banzhang adds structure to the cup, bringing stewed peaches and a lingering, raw honey-like sweetness to every sip. This combination brings an aroma of fresh clover, acidity reminiscent of orchard fruits like scuppernong grapes and pears and a finish of walnuts and confectioner’s sugar.

Origin | Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

Producer | Xiaohui Quan

Process | Oxidized | Sun-dried

Materials | 2026 Spring Gedeng black tea | 2026 Spring Banzhang white tea

Text from Black & White Coffee Roasters' listing.