Long Kou Farm—transliterated as Dragon's Mouth—is a mid-sized organic tea farm in Guangxi province. It's our preferred source for scented Chinese green teas, along with our flagship Champagne Oolong. We've been partners for over ten years.
Traditionally Guangxi doesn't have the cache that more famous tea regions carry, despite a long and beautiful history of tea planting. That underdog status drew us here to begin with. There are local varietals of tea bush, like Linyun Baihao, that can't be found anywhere else. It's also known for the production of heicha (dark tea).
The terroir is less bold and malty than the region's western neighbor, Yunnan.
Mingfu Lei is one of the tea masters and head producers at Long Kou. He's passionate about traditional production methods and, aside from tea, has a soft spot for Australian red wine.
He's a dear friend. When we're not cupping teas at his farm, he joins us in our travels through the region, introducing us to local tea culture and new friends.