Gua Feng Zhai | Gushu Maocha

Yiwu can be split into many smaller micro regions with their own flavor profiles.  Among them are the Honey Fragrances of Loushui Dong and Mahei, the Flower Fragrances of Bohetang and Wanggong, and finally the Wild Fragrances of Guafengzhai and Baisha he.  We first made it out to Guafengzhai in 2025 and the wild region captivated us in ways no other tea region has.  We have been hoarding our private store of this gushu maocha from the Baisha River all year, and are excited to share it in its pure form for all to drink.

When the dry leaves are placed in a warmed gaiwan, they exude a fragrance of sweet herbs, like sage and mint, wild flowers, and even a touch of caramel.  This is the classic wild fragrance that this area of Yiwu is famous for.  While the other regions are either sweet or honey, the Guafeng Zhai gushu is wild.  In truth, it reminds us of hiking through the jungle in search of the ancient trees from whence these leaves were plucked.  Under the spices and floral fragrances lingers the promise of fruity sweetness.

The tea soup is a bright gold that is surprisingly clear despite its young age and unpressed state.  The brew is thick on the tongue coating the mouth with an oily texture that is typical of these older trees.  While there are floral notes that come through into the tea soup, it is the herbal notes that dominate, backed by a honey background that triumphs over the caramel notes found in the dry leaves. 

For an Yiwu tea, the Guafeng Zhai is remarkably dynamic, with a bitter edge if pushed, it has power that is rarely glimpsed in the often more gentle Yiwu milieu.  The Chaqi keeps us locked into these sessions, and we remember the first time we tasted this tea and refused to leave the tea table until past the twelfth infusion.