{"product_id":"organic-tibetan-heicha-with-golden-flower","title":"Organic Tibetan Heicha With Golden Flower","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZangcha (藏茶) \u003c\/strong\u003eor Tibetan Tea is a type of \u003cstrong\u003edark tea (黑茶 \/ heicha)\u003c\/strong\u003e from \u003cstrong\u003eYa’an, Sichuan Province in China. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eHistorically, it was traded along the \u003cstrong data-start=\"263\" data-end=\"281\"\u003eTea Horse Road\u003c\/strong\u003e, exchanged for horses and carried over long distances into Tibetan regions \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e(hence the name Tibetan Tea). It became an essential part of daily life, helping balance a diet heavy in meat and dairy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"538\" data-end=\"581\"\u003eWhat makes Zangcha unique is how it’s made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"583\" data-end=\"915\"\u003eIt goes through a \u003cstrong data-start=\"601\" data-end=\"635\"\u003edeep post-fermentation process\u003c\/strong\u003e, including a major second fermentation lasting about \u003cstrong data-start=\"689\" data-end=\"703\"\u003e28–45 days\u003c\/strong\u003e. Interestingly, this style of fermentation originally came from accident—tea being repeatedly exposed to rain and drying out during long journeys. That created a heavily fermented, sometimes rough and musty tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"964\"\u003eToday, that process is refined and intentional. The leaves are first boiled, then carefully fermented under controlled conditions to develop a cleaner, more balanced profile. The result is a tea that carries depth—but without the harshness of its early forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1179\" data-end=\"1229\"\u003eThis Zang Cha also has \u003cstrong data-start=\"1206\" data-end=\"1228\"\u003eGolden Flowers (金花), \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003ea beneficial microorganism (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eEurotium cristatum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e) that appears as tiny golden specks within the tea. It forms naturally through controlled co-fermentation, not added afterward, contributing to the tea’s signature character. The result is a distinct \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eglutinous rice sweetness and creamy texture\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e, along with a smooth, mellow profile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGolden Flower heicha is relatively known, but \u003cstrong\u003eGolden Flower Zangcha produced in this intentional way is uncommon\u003c\/strong\u003e, making this a unique expression of the style.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the cup, the tea opens with a \u003cstrong\u003esweet rice and cypress wood aroma\u003c\/strong\u003e. The flavor carries a gentle \u003cstrong\u003esweet rice and date-like sweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e, followed by a \u003cstrong\u003eclean, grounding woodiness\u003c\/strong\u003e. The body and color is lighter than many dark teas, yet the texture is still \u003cstrong\u003ethick \u003c\/strong\u003eand\u003cstrong\u003e creamy, \u003c\/strong\u003ecoating the mouth with apleasant mouthfeel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSourced from \u003cstrong\u003ehigh mountain gardens (800–1200m+)\u003c\/strong\u003e, grown without chemical fertilizers and maintained through manual weeding, this tea reflects the traditional craftsmanship of Ya’an—recognized as \u003cstrong\u003eNational Intangible Cultural Heritage\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGongfu Brewing Instructions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5g in a 90ml gaiwan\u003cbr\u003eWater: 205°F (96°C)\u003cbr\u003eQuick rinse\u003cbr\u003e1st infusion: 15–20 seconds\u003cbr\u003e2nd infusion: 10 seconds\u003cbr\u003eIncrease 3–5 seconds per additional infusion. This tea is very forgiving and can be oversteeped or even boiled without becoming bitter or dry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:  Ya'an, Sichuan, China\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotes: Dates, Sweet Rice, Cypress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tea and Whisk","offers":[{"title":"1 oz sample","offer_id":48884409893107,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2 oz","offer_id":48884409925875,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3 oz","offer_id":48884409958643,"sku":null,"price":51.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4 oz","offer_id":48884409991411,"sku":null,"price":66.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"6 oz","offer_id":48884410024179,"sku":null,"price":96.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500g Brick (Not Loose)","offer_id":48898943680755,"sku":null,"price":288.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0268\/9486\/0322\/files\/organic-tibetan-heicha-with-golden-flower-7225803.jpg?v=1777403287","url":"https:\/\/teaandwhisk.com\/products\/organic-tibetan-heicha-with-golden-flower","provider":"Tea and Whisk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}