June 2026 Subscription: Red, White and Oolong Oh My!

This round of subscriptions is part two of the spring season.
In part one, we saw lots of greens. In part two, we are seeing anything but.

This round of subscriptions also came with some challenges sourcing wise.

Jin Mu Dan Red Black Tea:

This was a tea I personally loved last year, but it sold out before the end of autumn. This black tea uses the Jin Mu Dan cultivar, a cultivar usually used for oolongs, and uses the new method of making to help bring out its characteristics. The new method of making involved shaking it much like you would an oolong. The result is a red tea rich in aroma and texture. The aroma is very foral and complex, a mix of roses and orchids. The texture reminds me of the bark of a tree. Woodsy but in a natural and alive way. This tea has a medium honey like body which may get deeper as time goes on.

Wu Family Bai Mu Dan:

The Wu Family is my favorite maker in Zhe Rong. Their teas have the classic Zhe Rong milkiness but with a brigh floralness that is the product of good making. This Bai Mu Dan is closer to a silver needle in flavor as it isnt too leafy or heavy. At times notes of cantaloupe appear.

With this tea there was a problem with the packaging. I went to a stop to get it automatically packed, but the machine was inaccurate and many bags came in under 5g. To make up for this I gave anyone whose bags were short an extra serving of tea. Bags were usually only .5g short and therefore the flavor should be unaffected.


Anxi Charcoal Roasted Tie Guan Yin:

This tea is from Long Juan township in An Xi. I have been friends with this family for a number of years and have watched as they explored different ways to make their tea better. Last year they started charcoal roasting their Tie Guan Yins. Most Tie Guan Yins are eletric roasted, so this was quite unique and I felt made the difference. Just like the Bai Mu Dan, there was a small hiccup in the sourcing of this tea.

I originally bought a few pounds of this tea to try it. I ended up liking it and put in on the website and subsequently put it in the mystery box. Once I got most of the exploerer boxes out I had run out and had to buy more. The problem was what they had was different.

This family roasts their Tie Guan Yin in small batches. Since the batches are small they run out quickly and the family will roast again. Since they use charcoal to roast, no two batches are exactly the same. While machines may not provide as good of a flavor, they do offer a consistency that traditional methods cant achieve. What this means for the subscription box is that not everyone got the same tea.

If your packet simply says Charcoal Roast Tie Guan Yin and the bags are purplish, you got the original roast.  This roast was mediumish with the classic taste of brown rice. While hot its smooth with a bit of texture coming out when it cools. The lighter roast does allow for the Tie Guan Yin characteristics to show through. Tie Guan Yin while being light and floral, also has a denseness to it. There is a weight on the tongue and a metallic sourness. While not for everyone, this Tie Guan Yin is a good representation of the cultivar.


When I rebought the teas I actually got two different simialr but slightly different roasts.
Both of these roast are lighter than the original and more foral. They are very similar with one being a touch lighter and having a buttery or bamboo flavor, while the other has a bit more texture similar to peanuts. People who received these teas got at least one package of both.These two teas are now whats available on the website.




This subscription came with its challenges but I think drinkers will enjoy the range.
All teas are available on the website and are all personally enjoyed by yours truly.