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Incredible dragon wings...

Posted on: September 9th 2020
By: Arnaud Dhenin

Rare, wild, one of a kind... Vietnam teas offer true treasures, as this brand new 2020 first flush tea testifies: let us introduce to you a wild plain green tea with amazing flavours

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Unidentified wild tea trees

I already told you in my previous blog posts about the amazing biodiversity that can be found in the wild mountains of Northern Vietnam. I have been traveling there since several years and am truly in love with both its natural treasures and the inhabitants and their culture, always kind to men and to nature. Up in the mountains, wild endemic tea trees of an unknown kind have evolved through time, naturally crossbreeded with surrounding wild fruit trees. These tea trees are named "Duoi Rong" by locals, but the species is not officially identified. Harvesting only the buds, the local ethnic groups were only making the white tea "Dragon Scales", a renowned tea with outstanding flavours.

Ceuilleuse de thé - Vietnam Cueilleuses de thé - Vietnam

Tea pickers amongst wild Duoi Rong tea trees - © L’Autre Thé

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A simple idea…

March 2020, as traveling in the area, Vân (a Vietnamese friend who is also a tea professiona and who often guides me when I travel Vietnam) and I had an idea, which we immediately shared with Mr Mềnh, the producer with whom I already work with to produce our "Fairies' teas". Why only harvesting the buds of Duoi Rong? Why not trying to create a tea from the leaves? The three of us were eager to try, so we started experiments to bring the best out of this unusual harvest.

Réception des récoltes de thé - Vietnam Arnaud et M. Menh travailant les feuilles de thé

Collecting the fresh leaves (left) and Arnaud working with Mr. Mềnh (right) - © L’Autre Thé

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An uncategorisable tea

That's how a whole new green tea, Dragon Scales' little brother, was born. We named it "Dragon wings" according to its pretty purple hue and due to the serrated shape of the leaves, evoking the outline of the legendary creature, emblem of Vietnam country.

Feuilles de thé vert nature du Vietnam "Ailes du dragon"

« Dragon wings » leaves - © L’Autre Thé


Duoi Rong leaves are giving a tea beyond comparison: since the tea trees cross themselves with fruit trees, the taste is very rich, fresh and fruity, with hints of apple and litchi, in addition of flowery notes close to rose and a singular wild side. We opted for a green tea, but the Dragon wings are very similar to a white tea: mostly big whole leaves and a delicate taste without any bitterness.

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A tea you can drink to your heart's content!

As long as you observe the right water temperature (80°C), it is very hard to spoil this tea. Even if you forget to remove the leaves after 3 minutes as indicated, it will keep its flavours and will not gain bitterness.

All these nice and unique features made us want to present the Dragon wings to the 3rd international AVPA teas of the world contest this Fall in Paris. Vân (whom I mentioned earlier) will introduce it to the jury. Our fingers are already crossed, we hope it will win a medal (like its brother Dragon scales did last year)! Meanwhile, come try it at our tea houses in Paris, our team is really enthousisast about this tea!

Ceuilleuses de thé - Vietnam Théiers en pleine forêt - Vietnam

Dreamy moutain and forest landscape in Hà Giang district - © L’Autre Thé

Tags : green tea, wild tea, Plain tea, Vietnam
Author: Arnaud Dhenin

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