Ban Lien Red Tea

Black tea from the picturesque village of Ban Lien

located in Lao Cai province in northwestern Vietnam just a stone's throw from the border with neighbouring Yunnan. Hand-picked in early spring, the leaves come from the large-leaved tea tree (Camellia sinensis var. assamica), called Shan Tuyet in Vietnam, which means "mountain snow" and refers to the white fluff on the tea leaves. These tea trees grew at an altitude of 800-1500 metres.
The small, irregularly rolled, fully oxidized leaves are dark brown in colour and have a delicate sweet fruity aroma. Dark brown infusion, thick, rich, round, honey-like, malty to animal flavours with pleasant cool notes of moss, forest after rain and a long sweetly astringent aftertaste.

Origin: Ban Lien Village in Lao Cai Province

Local tribe: Tay

Harvest: Spring 2025

Altitude 800 - 1500 m

Tea tree: large-leaved variety Shan Tuyet

How to brew Ban Lien Red Tea

Use 5 grams of tea leaves for 0.5 litre of boiling water cooled to 85-90 °C, steep for 2–3 minutes. Feel free to experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and the amount of tea leaves. You can also read our articles on tea preparation and water quality. These tea leaves are also suitable for Asian-style preparation, which includes multiple infusions: you steep 5 grams of tea leaves per 150 ml of water that has boiled and cooled to 85–90 °C for 20 seconds and in the following three infusions, you steep the leaves for 30, 40, and 60 seconds, respectively.

Ban Lien - a mountainous area with tea gardens in Lao Cai Province

Ban Lien is a small village located approximately 30 kilometres east of Bac Ha town in northern Vietnam, Lao Cai Province. The area is located on the Bac Ha Plateau at an altitude of over 1,000 metres. The population is predominantly Tay. The region remains off the main tourist routes and retains its traditional character.
Tea is grown on the slopes surrounded by native forests. The forest covers more than 52 % of the area and forms an important ecosystem with high biodiversity. Thanks to the altitude and microclimate, the natural way of growing tea thrives here without the need for intensive intervention in the landscape.