A chawan is more than a matcha bowl.
It’s a vessel of culture, memory, and everyday moments—moving across traditions, from tea to meals, and into modern life.

Xiaguan Tuo Cha (下关沱茶), founded in 1902 in Dali, Yunnan, is one of China’s most iconic Pu-erh tea producers. Famous for its bird’s nest-shaped Tuo Cha and rich history in ripe Pu-erh tea development, Xiaguan has played a major role in shaping Yunnan tea culture. From the Ancient Tea Horse Road to modern aged Pu-erh craftsmanship, its legacy remains deeply respected worldwide.

What Is Gyokuro (玉露)? Exploring Japan’s Shade Grown Jewel

Gyokuro (玉露) is a very special type of Japanese green tea; it represents roughly 1% of Japan's annual tea production.

The name translates as "jade dew", probably because of its intense green colour; good gyokuro will provide one of the richest, most umami loaded tea journeys that you'll ever experience.

This article describes a simple recipe to handcraft dark (fermented) tea at home.  The recipe is inspired in Bhutanese / Tibetan style fermented tea, commonly used for 'butter tea'.

Ivan's tea (Иван-чай) is a delicious wildcrafted tisane made with fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium); fireweed is also known in English as "willowherb", particularly in Great Britain.  In Russian, it is called "кипрей" (kiprei).

These are step by step instructions on how to wildcraft and handcraft your own tea at home.

Fact #1: every single member of our bar team loves drinking Pu Er. Even if it had zero health benefits, the joy derived from brewing and drinking good Pu Er is an overwhelming reason to do it.  

Fact #2: if you Google 'pu erh tea benefits' you will find a long laundry list of health enhancing properties attributed to this type of tea. These often include anything weight loss to liver detoxification, mental awareness and even the promotion of world peace. What is missing from the (in our opinion) vast majority of these Google entries is a list of reliable sources that support the long lists of benefits attributed to Pu Er.

Here, we explore a few articles that (we believe) are both interesting and well supported.

TASTING EXPERIENCE
A juicy, full bodied dried fruit with a toasty finish, reminiscent of hojicha.

THE HANDCRAFTING PROCESS
Kobayashi San harvests tea leaves in the hot and humid days of summer; the tea bushes have a mishmash of larger leaves (half the size of your hand) that have been growing since early spring, and some younger ones that sprouted more recently. Kobayashi San harvest both leaves and small branches, all of which will impart a distinct flavour to the tea.
 
These leaves are boiled in cauldrons over a wood fire; the water used for boiling is carefully collected. Smelling these tea leaves as they boil is on the bucket list.