Experience Harvesting the Famous Anji White Tea
At its peaceful hillside location overlooking Tian Fu Lake, surrounded by lush bamboo groves and tea plantations, Alila Anji invites guests to participate in the harvest of the famous Anji White Tea with a unique tea picking experience this spring.
Anji White Tea is considered one of the most rare and precious of Chinese teas, due in large part to its short harvest season, lasting only around 30 days in early spring, when Anji’s tea plantations are transformed into a picturesque sight beneath the spring sunshine.
Contrary to what its name suggests, Anji White Tea is actually processed as a green tea. It derives its name from the shiny white color of its buds with just a light touch of green, which will turn to darker green as the temperature increases. The leaves are harvested by hand with expert skill and care before they darken and are gently processed into green tea using traditional methods.
During processing, the fresh-picked white buds and leaves take on a pale yellowish-green color. They are rolled into the form of tight pine-shaped needles before drying. The dried leaves display a fresh, clean, floral fragrance that perfectly matches the tea’s fresh, delicate taste. Because Anji White Tea is a very delicate tea, it is best made using cooler temperature water, and even better with spring or filtered water, to preserve its flavorful notes.
When prepared correctly, Anji White Tea has been described as liquid silk. Its vibrant green leaves brew to the color of light apple green, with an extremely smooth mouth feel and rich ‘umami’ or savory taste.
During this season, guests at Alila Anji can experience the tea picking process hands-on. Accompanied by the resort’s Leisure Concierge, guests will enjoy a walk through the countryside to a nearby tea plantation, where a local farmer will initiate them in the skill of tea plucking, and the process of carefully preparing and packing the tea for consumption.
Alila Anji’s ‘Anji White Tea Picking’ experience is estimated to be available from the end of March to early May 2018, and is priced at:
- USD 25++ per person for white tea picking experience.
- USD 40++ per person including white tea picking and 50g of white tea to take away.
- One week advance booking is required.
Throughout the white tea season, roasted and packed white tea will also be available for purchase at Alila Anji for guests to enjoy at home. Tealicious! And what better to accompany a cup of Anji White Tea than homemade sticky rice balls colored with local green herb juice, a delicious local spring dessert that will be available in the hotel lobby.
Seasonal Offer Guests can experience the precious tea harvest season with Alila Anji’s ‘Spring to Go Out’ package, which starts from USD 238++ per night. It includes accommodation for up to three people in one room or villa, with complimentary extra bed and breakfast for the third person; late check-out till 2pm; and 20% off lunch and SPA Alila treatments on the day of departure. Offer is applicable to all room types and is valid till 28 April 2018, excluding 5 and 6 April 2018.
For bookings please call +86 0572 5133566 or email [email protected]
