This one debuted a number of years ago to good reception and is now able to make a comeback as a daily drinker. For an outside park tea, this light roast DHP issues out a nice high payoff due to expert making from mao cha production to the charcoal roast.

The Yue Family

The Yue family produces well-crafted outside-the-park rock oolong west of Wuyi city, near Shankou, on the way to Wusandi. From what I've gathered, it seems like a lot of their buyers are retailers that try to pass the teas off with a more prestigious name.  I met Yue Jun and her daughter on a train back in 2019, and she became my very first Wuyi contact.

When asked about the specifics of their location and its terroir, they respond:

We are located at an altitude of 457 meters in 山口自然村 Shānkǒu Natural Village, with Wu San Di to the west, located on the windward slope of the Wuyi Mountains, with sufficient precipitation, coupled with dense vegetation, sufficient evaporation, and high humidity. Heavy, readily forming clouds with mist create a warm and humid semi-shady environment with more scattered light suitable for the growth of tea trees. In addition, the soil in the mountain pass is weathered gravel suitable for the growth of tea trees. The soil has good permeability and high mineral content, which makes the growth of tea trees reach an ideal level.

In an industry fraught with newcomers claiming mastery of marketable + popular styles after just a handful of years, the Yue family has been honing their yancha craft for 3 generations. Jun’s grandmother was the first to begin growing and processing tea in the township of  Yangzhuang. It was her who planted their original Qidan Da Hong Pao bushes, their Old Bush Shui Xian, as well as others.

Yue Jun is a third generation tea farmer. Her inheritance of these acres in Shankou comes from her mother's mother. Her daughter is currently learning about tea farming.