gardenia bird's tongue by cultivate tea
Gardenia Bird's Tongue by Cultivate Tea, Vancouver
25g
The name Bird’s Tongue, refers to the tiny, elegant shape of these First Harvest buds, picked in late March on the Mengding Mountains in Sichuan, China. Each serving of tea contains more than 300 of these slender leaves—an already meticulous tea, even before the scenting begins.
This is an experimental tea sourced by Cultivate: a green tea scented with wild gardenia, which is rarely seen. Unlike jasmine or osmanthus, gardenia can’t be cultivated in the same way—it has to be foraged, used fresh, and handled carefully. The flowers are picked just before they open, when their scent is still light and green.
The tea undergoes seven rounds of scenting, all beginning just before midnight, when the flowers are at their most fragrant. Each time, fresh buds are scattered over the tea and left to rest overnight. By morning, the flowers are removed and the tea is gently dried over charcoal. The process repeats over two weeks—seven full scenting cycles—each one imprinting more of the gardenia’s aroma into the leaves.
Notes: gardenia, coconut, honeysuckle, and cream.
Origin: Ya’an, Sichuan, China
Harvest: June 2022
Brewing Guide:
Tea | 3 g |
Temperature | 70°C |
Water | 120 ml |
Steep time | 5-60 sec |
No. of infusions | 8 |
About Cultivate Tea:
Founded in 2014, Cultivate Tea sources from small producers across China who maintain traditional methods of harvesting and crafting exceptional teas. Inspired by a transformative encounter with tea in a quiet shop in Beijing, Cultivate is dedicated to sharing these rare, hand-crafted teas that reflect both cultural and environmental terroir. With a focus on sustainability, masterful craftsmanship, and respect for tea's deep-rooted traditions, Cultivate Tea brings you teas that tell the stories of the people, lands, and the generations behind them.
