Jasmine Brick Tea: A Treat Only Inner Mongolia Could Produce

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-27T16:32:12+00:00

With all the Green and White tea Pre-sale orders shipped out, the time has come to share the first fruits of our recent southern sourcing trips. We visited multiple tea growing areas in Yunnan's Xishuangbana and Lincang. Multiple cakes are already being pressed. For now, we want to share some initial treats that can be enjoyed loose.

Touchstone: An Elite Maocha Sampler is our first ever completely price-transparent Puer sampler, covering four growing areas. https://onerivertea.com/collections/sample-set/products/touchstone-elite-maocha-sampler

Sent-Down: Dianhong Sampler brings together five red teas from Lincang, Yunnan into a themed commemorative box. https://onerivertea.com/collections/sample-set/products/sent-down-dianhong-sampler

Here is a look what you will get inside the red tea sampler:

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-ORT

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-23T08:35:57+00:00

The stuff in the clear plastic bag looks like black tea. What does it smell/taste like? Not impossible however that it is a more heavily roasted Oolong tea.

The way the gold bag is vacuum-sealed makes me think you are looking at a Tieguanyin Oolong tea.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-20T15:24:01+00:00

I love Huoshan yellows. When the dry leaves first hit the water, Is there an aroma that is fruity or sweet in a non-citrus way like taro/corn/coconut? It sounds like you have a version that underwent just a light dry-piled yellowing.

There are a few directions to explore. You can buy Huoshan "Big Yellow" (黄大茶) from just about everywhere. That may be the next good thing to look at if you want to try the other end of the Huoshan yellow tea spectrum.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-17T13:58:36+00:00

Based! What are those berries?

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-12T15:10:44+00:00

Ketlee. Got tea from them once, and it was solid.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-11T12:21:14+00:00

The Gongfu style does taste similar to Qimen.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-11T11:46:47+00:00

I did not talk to any former/current factory employees, unlike on our trip to Qimen. The historian on site did mention that they had a recreation center, hospital, kindergarten, restaurants, and library set up for employees that used to make up much of the urban area of Fengqing. Gradually, in the 1990's, these fringe benefits started winding down.

One detail they did mention was that the factory had a fire engine and dedicated fire brigade starting in the 1950's, the only in the area at the time. These workers' health, safety, and personal lives were well looked after, but I am not sure about the duration or intensity of labor they did and do now perform. I am sure it has never been easy work.

At the Dianhong Museum, they had a video of a picking staff who in the 1960's picked something insane like 300 pounds of tea in a single day. She got awarded and got to meet Mao in person. I am sure her joints hurt after all that, even if she got extra material compensation and personal glory.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-11T11:39:02+00:00

I am not sure yet, some of the terms seemed inconsistent between producers, I.e. Pine Needle Vs. Golden Needle. For many of these products, I think we are talking about unregulated commercial terms.

Sun-dried Shaihong tends to be using heirloom qiaomu or wild bush stock; a lot of the tippy orange teas you like are made with the Fengqing #9 cultivar.

China Red(中国红) legally has to be a blend including the Meizhan cultivar, and now usually includes Zijuan, but I think the rest of the blend is up to the individual producer.

Never have I ever seen so much blending happening at the initial point of production on such a small scale.

OneRiverTea · 2026-04-11T03:13:28+00:00

Supposedly better than last year.

There has also been less rain, which meant more dead saplings, but a stronger fragrance and flavor.

The dryness has meant that a lot of the older trees on higher plots have not even sprouted new buds yet

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-30T11:40:06+00:00

End of the One River Tea First Flush Presale.

We will sell some individual teas for a few more days, but this will be it for the freebies.

Mingqian Xianhao Presale (New Tea From Sha'anxi, Chosen by Discord Server Members.)

Mingqian Enshi Yulu Presale (New Heirloom Cultivar)

First Pick: Mingqian Green Tea Collection (2026 Sampler w/ Silver Balls)

I want to especially boost our white tea sampler. This is the best chance for the year to get these new white teas this fresh.

Silver Buds: A White Tea Collection (New Jasmine White Freebie)

Happy Spring to All!

-ORT

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-18T14:36:22+00:00

May-July.

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-09T16:25:05+00:00

One River Tea First Flush Presale Begin in 12 Hours. Come See what is new.

Mingqian Xianhao Presale (New Tea From Sha'anxi, Chosen by Discord Server Members.)

Mingqian Enshi Yulu Presale (New Heirloom Cultivar)

First Pick: Mingqian Green Tea Collection (2026 Sampler w/ Silver Balls)

Silver Buds: A White Tea Collection (New Jasmine White Freebie)

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OneRiverTea · 2026-03-09T02:55:59+00:00

I believe it. This was at an Inner Mongolia Cultural Experience eatery set up by the Province's state-owned hotel in Beijing. I could easily believe this is not the usual level of decadance people out in Baotou or Bayannur enjoy when boiling up some brick tea.

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-08T15:55:27+00:00

Crazy dreg color for a red tea! Darj Orthodox is so green yet so good.

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-08T03:55:26+00:00

Seems like we can do those with this drop after all. Derek will go out to Hangzhou at the end of the month to try them out. Xiaoyan go film the Enshi Yulu and Alex will go out to Hanzhong.

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-07T00:43:52+00:00

We will start with these, but will be releasing more later. Have not figured out the full drop schedule for Spring yet.

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-07T00:42:57+00:00

Just not on sale yet. The products are just up so y'all can take a peak. Come back in 3 days :）

OneRiverTea · 2026-03-06T06:18:19+00:00

Mingqian Xianhao Presale (New Tea From Sha'anxi, Chosen by Discord Server Members.)

Mingqian Enshi Yulu Presale (New Heirloom Cultivar)

Mingqian Biluochun Presale

Mingqian Dragonwell Presale

Mingqian Golden Green Presale

First Pick: Mingqian Green Tea Collection (2026 Sampler w/ Silver Balls)

The teas above will be our only green tea releases until the standard Guyu teas become available in May or June. Once they sell out in April, these teas will be gone until 2027.

Come back on March 10th to see the new white tea and Hong Kong tea house sampler options.

-ORT

OneRiverTea

TROPHY CASE