Last time, we discussed the first example in Yunnan that contradicts the saying “high mountains and mist produce fine Tea”—Bangdong's Xigui tea. Today, let's continue this topic and see if there are any other exceptions.
The Yongde production area in Lincang produces two famous teas: Mangfei and Yongde Da Xueshan, with the most renowned tea on Da Xueshan called Meiziqing. The average altitude of the main production area for Mangfei is around 1,380 meters, which is not particularly high compared to other tea-producing areas in Lincang or even Yunnan as a whole. Yet, it produces a high-quality tea, which is somewhat surprising, especially in Lincang. Additionally, the mountains in the Mangfei tea production area are not particularly large (with small elevation changes), and the temperature difference between seasons is minimal, making it a relatively special case. The altitude of Yongde Da Xueshan is much higher, with the average altitude of its main tea-producing area being around 1,800 meters. This altitude is considered average in Yunnan but is quite common for producing good tea in the Lincang production area.
The taste and character of Yongde Da Xueshan are completely different from those of Mangfei. Mangfei has a more pronounced bitterness and astringency, giving it a robust flavor, while Meiziqing has a gentler taste with lighter bitterness and astringency, and excellent aftertaste and body. Although these two tea areas have high and low altitudes respectively, they both produce teas of good quality. Next, let's look at Baiying Mountain.
The main tea-producing area of Baiying Mountain is at an altitude of approximately 2,000 to 2,100 meters, which is relatively high for tea production in Yunnan. Logically, this height is not particularly suitable for tea tree growth due to the lower temperatures. We don't see as many or as large ancient tea trees at similar altitudes on Bangdong Da Xueshan, Yongde Da Xueshan, Fengqing Da Xueshan, or even Mengku Da Xueshan, as we do on Baiying Mountain. Not only does Baiying Mountain have ancient tea trees that are over a thousand years old, but there are also many of them, possibly the most of any area. This breaks the perception of many, including myself. The teas produced here, such as Ben Shan, Ergazi, Heitiaozi, and Baiya Zi, are well-known for their gentle flavors with almost no bitterness or astringency, weak stimulation, but strong tea Qi, excellent aftertaste, and body.
Don't underestimate these teas just because they have a mild flavor. Tea drinkers who are not accustomed to raw Pu'er tea may experience what is known as “tea drunkenness,” or hypoglycemia, if they drink too much. In the 1960s and 1970s, Baiying Mountain introduced the large-leaf variety from Mengku, but now its flavor has little connection to the original tea. It has become very similar to local varieties, which echoes the saying “a Tangerine grown south of the Huai River is a tangerine, but north of the Huai River, it becomes a trifoliate orange.” The example of Baiying Mountain shows that excessively high altitudes do not necessarily lead to better tea quality.
The Mengku production area
Let's take a look at some of the teas from Mengku that have gained significant fame in recent years. First, of course, is the famous Bingdao Laozhai. Its main tea-producing area is at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,750 meters. The old parking lot in Bingdao Village, which everyone visits, is at an altitude of 1,670 meters, and there are many ancient tea trees nearby. This altitude is undoubtedly within the range where good tea is produced in the three major tea-producing areas of Yunnan. The other four Bingdao villages are also generally within this altitude range.
What about Molie, another popular village? Similarly, its main tea-producing area is at an altitude of 1,700 to 1,850 meters, and Xiaohusai is no exception, with the average altitude of its main tea-producing area being around 1,800 meters. Are there no exceptions then? No, there is one. Behind Xiaohusai is the Bangma Da Xueshan (Mengku Da Xueshan), whose main tea-producing area is at an altitude of 2,000 to 2,100 meters, yet it produces tea of exceptionally high quality. Personally, I believe it surpasses Xiaohusai, although its quantity is extremely limited, so it is not widely known. The tea produced at such a high altitude is full-bodied and robust with a distinct bitterness and virtually no astringency, along with excellent aftertaste and mouthfeel. This is truly surprising and once again defies our usual understanding. We wonder if we will discover more teas that challenge our current perceptions in the future.
In summary, for the three major tea-producing areas in Yunnan, the general trend is that the taste of tea tends to be more bitter and Astringent at lower altitudes and milder at higher altitudes. Excluding the exceptions of Xigui and Bangma Da Xueshan, good tea typically comes from altitudes between 1,200 and 1,800 meters. We hope that these three episodes on the relationship between altitude and tea quality will be helpful to tea enthusiasts looking to find high-quality teas.