Thai Nguyen has been well-known for a long time for tea and it is normally said that “Thai’s Tea – Tuyen’s Girls”. It means that the girls from Tuyen Quang are most beautiful and tea from Thai Nguyen is most delicious. However, it doesn’t mean tea from everywhere in Thai Nguyen has the same quality. The most typical representative of Thai Nguyen tea is the legend tea named Tan Cuong Tea.
Being a commune in the West of Thai Nguyen City, Tan Cuong Tea Area consists of 3 communes: Tan Cuong, Phuc Xuan and Phuc Triu with the total area of 48,618km2. Located in the midland mountainous area with red-brown soil and many narrow and flat valleys, Tan Cuong is the place with many trace elements suitable for tea trees. Formed mainly on the foundation of feralitic, acid magma and alluvium, sand stone with the pH from 5.5 to below 7.0, the soil here is slightly acrid to give a typical taste for tea here which can not be found in any other place.
Regarding climate conditions, Tan Cuong is the transition place between the plain and mountainous region. The temperature at night and day here is about 0.5oC higher than that in the plain region and the frost is less than that in mountainous region. Tan Cuong is located in the microclimate in the East of Tam Dao mountain at the altitude of 1,000m above seawater level and this is the ideal condition for the perfect quality of tea products. Located under Tam Dao Mountain where is covered from wind and sunlight, especially afternoon sunlight, therefore the temperature in Tan Cuong is not changed suddenly. Not only receiving the morning sunlight, this place is also not burned by afternoon sunlight, therefore, the contents of nutrients here are very high and good for the growth of tea trees. The scientific researches show that the radiation in Tan Cuong is the decisive factor on the quality of tea here. In Tan Cuong, the total radiation is 122.4kcal/cm2/year, in which the effective radiation is 61.2 kcal/cm2/year, and this amount is considered as lower than that in other tea areas.
Tan Cuong Tea, Thai Nguyen grows in the natural conditions in a single axis, it means that there is only one main axis on which the branches are developed. Due to the growth conditions and the different shapes of the branches, Tan Cuong Tea tree is divided into 3 types: timber body; medium body (semi-timber) and bush. Tan Cuong Tea tree, Thai Nguyen is totally cared with organic fertilizer and free from residues of pesticides and plant protection chemicals harmful to the human health.
Tan Cuong Tea, Thai Nguyen is picked with the standard “1 bud, 2 leaves” ensure the best quality tea buds. BTea Tan Cuong Tea, Thai Nguyen is processed using the traditional secrets. After picking from the trees, green tea buds are stored carefully to ensure the perfect state before delivering to the factory for processing. During waiting time, tea buds are loosen and spreaded evenly on bamboo boards and this is called “tea leave withering process”. Then the withered tea leaves will be moved to yeast killing process. This process is very important which requires the proper ratio of heat at the bottom of the pan and the quantity of materials. It is also required to stir evenly and smoothly so that the water steam from tea leaves is evaporated evenly and soften all tea leaves to ensure the tea leaves are not too wet or too dry and the natural green color of the tea leaves is still kept. Then, tea leaves will be dried against in the bamboo boards to cool before moving to crushing process. Crushing process is carried out carefully to help the tea leaves to curl tightly and not be broken. After crushing, tea leaves are dried out. Normally, tea leaves are dried out for 2-4 times.
Tan Cuong Tea, Thai Nguyen is of dark green color, tightly curled and small with white dots on the surface. Tea color is of pure green, light yellow and viscous. Tan Cuong Grean Tea has sweet acid taste and harmonious and almost no bitter taste when drinking. The tea smell is sweet, comfortable and fat as the smell of country green rice
By Son Nguyen
Click Ngay
