Friday

Some of you may need to check into your accommodation, have a late lunch or just enjoy some quiet time before the Programme starts. To ensure that you have a stress-free arrival, wherever your journey has started, we begin with two open sessions, come and go as you please. The official start is set in the evening. For those who join us in the afternoon we offer two activities you can attend, both according to your preferences.

Pu Er Sheng Cha - The Yiwu Terroir

In the east of Xishuangbanna lies the most famous and sought-after territory for Pu Er tea: Yiwu. The teas from Yiwu are known to be sweet, soft and elegant, a great pleasure, even for people who are unfamiliar with Pu Er. Over the years we have collected many outstanding teas from different villages and gardens in Yiwu and offer vintages from 2014 to 2024. In this open tasting you are welcome to explore this terroir in depth.

Chanoyu – The Japanese way of tea

The traditional Japanese tearoom, “Chashitsu”, is a very special place in our teahouse. You can arrive peacefully and enjoy a bowl of maccha in silence, prepared by our Chanoyu practitioners. They are trained in the Urasenke way of tea. One round of tea is about 30-45 minutes. The Chashitsu will host guests from

Official Start

Once our group is complete, we will enjoy a cup of tea (non-caffein options as well), get to know each other and take a short tour of the rooms. We will talk about the upcoming Programme and establish our setting for the weekend.

Saturday 9:00 – ~17:30

Sensory Analysis

Few things are as complex as the flavour profile of processed Camellia sinensis leaves. In this session, we will discuss and explore our - not so basic - physical tools for enjoying and evaluating tea. Join this crash course in sensory analysis to find a common language and differentiate the layers of experience hidden in a single sip.

Long Jing - Ascending Quality

What defines a high-quality green tea? Long Jing is the most prestigious and famous Chinese green tea. Let us explore our concept of quality by comparing ten different qualities of Long Jing, from industrial production to small experimental batches to rare, expensive leaves from the most sought-after terroirs.

Japanese Lunch

A freshly prepared seasonal Japanese meal: sprouted rice, miso and vegetables prepared in various delicious ways. The lunch is vegan and gluten free. If you have any allergies or dietary limitations, let us know as soon as possible.

Mao Jian Type – High End Chinese Green Tea

Mao Jian (‘hairy tip’) are green teas that are curved in a spiral or snail shape. Depending on the producer, the terroir and the tea plant varietal, these teas vary greatly in character. But as Mao Jian are most often made using the finest and earliest pickings of the year, they display immense taste and aroma. We compare different Mao Jian teas from famous origins and dive into the world of Chinese greens.

Wuyi Yan Cha - Rou Gui Cultivar

As one of the most popular cultivars of the Oolong category, Rou Gui is loved for its sweet cinnamon aroma and distinct character. With a tasting of three different qualities of Rou Gui, we explore the aspects of the tea plants environment and what the exceptional Wuyi terroir has to offer.

Feng Huang Dan Cong - Bai Ye Cultivar

As we have now established the influence of terroir on overall quality and character, let’s apply this concept to another major oolong category of China: Phoenix Single Bush. Its most iconic representative “Mi Lan Xiang” will serve us well to illustrate the phenomenal fragrance that the people of Chaozhou have mastered to produce from a plant’s leave. Three qualities, side by side.

Sunday 9:00 – ~16:15

Bring your own sample tasting session

In our day-to-day work with tea, we try to broaden our horizon by tasting and comparing as many samples as possible. This is where we learn the most. We would like to share this experience with you. Together we will recreate a tasting session, as we do it every day in our shop. The setting is blind, nobody knows which tea is which. If you like, you can bring one or two teas of your choice to compare side by side with one of ours or of other participants and asses its character and qualities. Most importantly, this is not to judge each other's teas, but to learn to assess and of course celebrate the endless diversity of the tea world.

Sencha Temomicha

Temomicha - tea rolled by hand. A rarity in Japan, as most teas are produced by machine. After steaming, a small quantity of tea is rolled and kneaded by hand, a process that can take up to seven hours and requires great attention and extreme care. These days only few people remain that can truly master this craftsmanship. With this tasting we’d like to introduce the work of Hiruma-San, a national grand master (10th Dan) of Temomicha making.

Tea Ceramics and their effects on tea

Tea ceramics greatly influence our perception of tea. On one hand an enjoyable aesthetic gimmick, on the other hand a reminder of the relativity of our perception. In this session, we will explore the interplay between ceramics, tea and sensory perception. Trying to create an overview of the most important aspects.

Lunch - Laoshi Noodle Soup

Kaspar, a passionate advocate of Chinese cuisine, will cook a simple noodle soup, so we will be nourished for the last teas to come.

Pu Er Sheng Cha - In depth degustation of different terroirs

With more than 150 Pu Er teas in our shop, it would be an understatement to say that we have an affinity for Pu Er. Every spring for the past 18 years, we have bought fresh Sheng Pu Er from different terroirs, mainly single origin productions from ancient tea trees. Over the years, the relationship and trust with our producers has grown on both sides and we are now able to confidently buy sought-after teas from the most famous terroirs. These teas are certainly expensive, but are they worth their reputation? Let's find out as we delve into the most prestigious gardens of Xishuangbanna.

Ending with a tea in silence

After all the tasting and sharing, we will conclude the weekend with a final Gong Fu Cha of one of the rarest teas in our collection: Bohetang Gao Gan. To enhance the experience, we will create a calm environment in which the tea can unfold its full potential.