Sneak Preview of our First Tea

We've been working hard on the development of our first tea, a White Tea called 'Breath of the Dragon' to be specific! The name reflects breathing renewed life into white tea and is a nod to the older original developmental arc of white tea in China, as well as our Welsh interpretation.

We aim to produce teas that are intentionally low in astringency and high in aromatic and amino-acid expression. For some tasters, this reads as honey, floral, even confectionery. For others, it challenges expectations of what “tea” should taste like.

That tension is not a flaw. It actually the starting point from which yellow tea (The tea of the Emperor) historically evolved.

Traditional white tea allows the leaf’s aromatics and amino acids to come forward with minimal interference. However, when this sweetness and perfume became too dominant, ancient tea makers developed yellow tea — a method that gently grounds aroma through warmth, time, and enclosure (Mèn Huáng - 闷黄) rather than force.

In contrast, many modern Western interpretations of white tea favour vegetal freshness and restraint, often valuing green or mineral cues as reassurance of authenticity. While this style has become familiar, it reflects a narrower slice of tea history. This expectation of white tea in Europe and North America partly emerged from the way in which audiences were introduced to white teas through early export of bái mǔdān / shòuméi. These grades naturally contain more stems and larger, coarser leaves, which are chemically different from the buds—they have less amino acids (umami/sweetness) and more polyphenols (astringency/structure). It was often the case that the leaf was considerably older through local storage and ship transport, where they were often stored imperfectly and lightly baked to stabilise. The more expressive and prized báiháo yínzhēn didn't travel well, was produced in smaller amounts and was kept for internal consumption.

Our teas sit closer to the older tradition. They are designed to be resolved, aromatic, and soothing, with structure carried by mouthfeel and lingering sweetness (huí gān - 回甘) rather than astringency.

We look forward to being able to offer you this unique tea in limited quantities in a few months. Until that point, savour and enjoy the moment with whatever teas you happen to be drinking.

Until next time.......

Rhydian