This is an accompanying feature to our in-depth interview with Peter Luong, founder and tea buyer for Song Tea & Ceramics in San Francisco, California. It’s not enough to just talk about delicious teas—we want to give you some recommendations as well. So we asked Peter Luong to send along a short list of his favorites from the current Song Tea collection. Whether you’re a tea lover, tea enthusiast, or just tea-curious, each of these offerings make for delicious steeping.
Prefer to leave your tea brewing to the experts? Song Tea is served with care at fine coffee bars across the United States, including G&B Coffee, Go Get Em Tiger, Dinosaur Coffee, Paramount Coffee Project, and Verve Coffee in Los Angeles; Heart Roasters, Good Coffee, and Case Study Coffee in Portland, Oregon; Bartavelle, Linea Caffe, Ritual Coffee Roasters, and Saint Frank Coffee in the Bay Area; Madcap Coffee in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Ceremony Coffee in Annapolis, Maryland and Washington DC; PublicUs Coffee in Las Vegas; Sump Coffee in St. Louis; and other select cafe, dining, hospitality and retail partners across the United States.
Dragonwell
This high-elevation green tea was handpicked the last week of March and expertly pan-fired in small batches. The flat, blade-like leaves are brilliant green, and brew a tea that is remarkably round and luscious. Notes of watercress and toasted sunflower seed.
Red Water Shuixian
A charcoal-roasted rendition of our Lishan Shuixian. Crafted from 40-year-old trees grown at 2200m on Lishan. Mid-oxidized and baked over charcoal for over a week, intensifying richness and flavor. Notes of brown sugar, toast, and aged tangerine peel.
Lishan Winter Sprout
Handpicked at 2000m above sea level from a garden coated in snow. Its poetic Chinese name means “never know spring.” An intensely savory yet sweet tea anchored by a luscious vegetal foundation. Notes of olive oil, Meyer lemon, and wheatgrass.
Lishan Orchid
Winter oolong from 20-year-old Qing Xin tea trees grown at 2000m on Lishan. Round, luscious texture. Long and low-temperature roasting accentuates sweetness and aromatics. Notes of orchid, butter mochi cake, and pine.
Four Seasons Red
This is a red tea crafted from the four seasons spring cultivar grown at 1500m on Lishan. Its unique aromatic and flavor profile comes from leaf hopper-bitten leaves expertly oxidized for nearly two days. Notes of lemongrass, muscovado sugar, and lemon custard.
