SPECIAL LOCAL TEA - SOUR TEA FROM PUTIAN

Tea: Sour Tea From Putian - Fujian 

Origin: Lingtian Villge - PuTian - Fujian

Characteristics: Sour Plum, Fresh Green Olive, Sour Tamarind

About sour tea: 
On the way to Lintian Village, Laidian Town—the birthplace of Putian Sour Tea (also known as Xianyou Jiutiao Tea)—I noticed that this place, which lacks even public transportation and has only four permanent residents, is where Master Yuan Bao, the inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of sour tea making, has been tirelessly promoting sour tea culture to the outside world for a decade. One can well imagine that the winding mountain roads are as full of obstacles as his efforts to promote this tea culture... If only one person shares sour tea, maybe just two people will get to taste it; but if ten people share it, a hundred might have the chance. The moment its unique flavor danced on my tongue, transitioning from astringent and tart to an exquisite sweetness, I made up my mind to let more people discover this remarkable tea!

Tasting notes: 

This tea is truly extraordinary.

As someone who’s long been a devotee of Wuyi Rock Tea, my first sip of this sour tea took me by surprise—it was sharp with sourness and astringency. But in just about five seconds, a unique, delicate sweetness spread across my entire palate. That initial tart and astringent note even brought back memories of the tamarind drinks I used to have as a child.

Yet its tamarind-like sourness and astringency give way instantly to an extraordinary sweetness—one that makes your entire mouth water, releasing a unique fruity sweetness that’s simply magical. It transforms the whole palate into a delightful experience, and this comforting sweetness lingers all the way down to your throat, wrapping it in a gentle pleasantness.

What’s more, as our mentor told us, this tea contains an extremely low level of caffeine. It’s even soothing for an upset stomach—and it opens up an entirely new perspective on Chinese tea for you.

Brewing Guide

1. Gaiwan Method (for Oolong-style brewing): Add 7.5g tea to 110ml boiling water, brew as traditional oolong tea (yields about 8 infusions).

2. Steeping Method: Add 5g tea to 110ml boiling water, steep for 3-5 minutes, add a pinch of salt.