Grand Szechwan tea has its roots in the Sichuan province, a mountainous and fertile region where tea cultivation has flourished for centuries. The gardens of this area, perched between 800 and 1,000 meters above sea level, benefit from ideal conditions for the growth of young tea plants. These small mountain plantations prioritize fine plucking, resulting in black teas with short, uniform leaves, often adorned with a generous proportion of buds.
It is in the heart of this landscape, in the fertile Ya'an basin, that tradition truly flourishes. Nearly 600,000 tea growers perpetuate a knowledge passed down through generations. Here, tea shapes not only the landscape but also the lives of families, creating a veritable mosaic of small, independent producers, dynamic cooperatives, and artisans deeply connected to the Mengding Mountains. This collective energy gives Sichuan a unique intensity in its tea culture, making Ya'an the vibrant heart of Chinese tea, where every gesture is a tribute to transmission and renewal.
In the cup, Grand Szechwan stands out for its mountain character: its short, thin, and slightly pointed leaves give the infusion a clear amber color, a light texture, and a remarkable balance without the slightest bitterness. Where black teas from Yunnan or Fujian express more powerful, malty, or smoky characteristics, Szechwan asserts a full-bodied yet subtle temperament, marked by woody and spicy notes, a warmth on the palate, and a lingering finish without any harshness. Its aromatic elegance combined with its digestibility makes it an approachable tea, appreciated for its consistency, smoothness, and refinement.
Finally, a subtle poetic alchemy sometimes invites the palate to dream of a secret dialogue between tea and Sichuan peppercorns. As if the millennia-old culture of pepper were inspiring the rare finesse of the tea, tradition and local geography weave a sensory legend: here, Sichuan stands out as the discreet stage for an invisible kinship, that of two fragrant treasures inseparable from its profound identity and its mysteries.
