Tea Stories
Wild Tea Infused with the Energy of a Sacred Land — Ancient Wild
I wonder if this photo conveys the impact it had on me.
Deep in the jungles of Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka.
For 130 years, this tea tree escaped all pruning and grew into a true "giant tree." The maker actually climbs the trunk with his own hands and feet, to pick a single, life-filled leaf from the very top.
This is "Ancient Wild" by Forest Hill Tea.
Supporting this land is rich soil connected to the sacred peak of Adam's Peak (Sri Pada). In this fertile earth, where an ancient cycle of life still flows, an old tree has sent its roots deep for 130 years. Within it, an immeasurable energy of the earth has been stored.
Transforming these wild leaves into a remarkably refined cup is the art of the artisan tea maker. To draw out the "deep sweetness" so loved by Chinese tea connoisseurs, the maker applies a meticulous "twist" to each leaf, as if speaking to it one by one. When hot water is poured over the leaves, the trapped essence slowly, slowly unfolds — and the beauty of the liquor's color changing with each steep, first brew to second, is the very essence of gongfu brewing.
I've been working with yakuzen for 13 years. In this leaf — climbing toward "heaven" while drawing up the richness of "earth" — I sense a vitality that goes beyond a simple beverage.
Far removed from efficiency, this is a "memory of the forest" filled with the maker's pride. I would be happy if you could receive this cup with your five senses — and with every cell in your body.