with Limited Reserve Pu’er
from the Leaves of the 3,200 Year Old Jinxiu Tea King Tree
On October 28, join Tea Sommelier Kelvin Ng at InterContinental Hong Kong’s 2-Michelin star Yan Toh Heen restaurant for an exclusive Chinese Tea Discovery Lunch featuring Limited Reserve Aged Pu’er that comes from the leaves of a treasured 3,200 year old tree, known as the Jinxiu Tea King in Yunnan Province.
This extremely rare tea will be brewed with premium “Tibet 5100” mineral water that comes from an altitude of 5,100 meters and paired with a 6-course Cantonese menu by Executive Chef Lau Yiu
(HK$3,200 + 10% service per person).
During the Tea Pairing Luncheon, Tea Sommelier Kelvin Ng will share his knowledge of Pu’er as he introduces this rare Pu’er and guides guests on a discovery of the unique taste and scent of this Limited Reserve tea.
The Tea Discovery Lunch Menu includes:
- Limited Reserve 3,200 Year Old Jinxiu Tea King Tree Pu’ er from Yunnan
- Simmered French Blue Lobster with Morchella in Supreme Broth
- Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Morels and Ginger
- Braised Whole Abalone (28 Heads) in Oyster Jus
- Wok-fried Kagoshima Wagyu Beef with Duck Liver and Black Truffle
- Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Mixed Vegatables and Crabmeat Roe
- Chilled Milk Pudding with Tokachi Red Beans and Tofu
Click here for the menu.
About the 3,200 year old tea tree
The 3,200 year old tea tree is known as the Jinxiu Tea King. The oldest and largest tea tree in the world, it is located in Xiangzhuqing, Jinxiu Village, Xiaowan Town, Fengqing County, Lincang City in Yunnan Province. With tea leaves that are shiny and rich, stout and thick, the resulting tea broth has Fengqing Tea characteristics. It has a strong aroma with a special bamboo scent, a fresh and sweet taste, with a long-lasting, mellow aftertaste of plum and wild tea flavours.
How big is the Jinxiu Tea King Tree?
The Jinxiu Tea King is the largest ancient tea tree in the world. It is 10.6m tall, with a trunk diameter that is already 1.84m with a circumference of 5.82m. Its leaves are praised as No. 1 in the Chinese tea industry and also the global tea industry. To preserve the world’s largest and oldest tea tree, a series of protective measures are in place. These include having no building site or waste water disposal within 100m from the tree.
Is the Jinxiu Tea King Tree really 3,200 years old? How do you know for sure?
In the early 1980s, Mr. Wang Guangzhi, Director of the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre, examined the ancient tea tree and inferred that it was more than 3,200 years old. Subsequently, Dr. Ye Chuangxin, Doctor of Botany from Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University also confirmed the tree’s age. In 2004, Dr. Masashi Omori, also known as “Doctor Green Tea” in Japan and Dr. Zhi Lin from the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences reconfirmed the tree’s age after thorough examination.
In 2013, Fengqing County National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee passed a vote for “Xiangzhuqing Ancient Tea Tree Protection”, the very first NPC decision made regarding a tea tree in Yunnan Province.
How expensive is the tea?
The leaves from the Jinxiu Tea King Tree are some of the most expensive in the world. At the Yunnan Pu’er Tea International Expo 2007 in China, a 499gm tea cake was sold for RMB400,000, meaning each gram was worth over RMB800. This was four times the price of gold price at the time and broke the auction record for new tea. In 2015, the tea leaf price reached its peak at the 25th Tea Art Festival in Fengqing when it was auctioned at RMB3500 per gram.
Unique Jinxiu Tea King Tree Ritual
Every February 8th of the Chinese lunar calendar before the spring harvest season, all the villagers in Xiangzhuqing, Jinxiu Village in Yunnan Province perform a special ritual to worship this ancient tea tree – praying for good sprouts and a good harvest. They believe that the Jinxiu Tea King Tree will continue to bless the village year after year.
For reservations for this exclusive Tea Discovery Lunch, please call (852) 2313 2323 or e-mail fb.hongkong@ihg.com
Yan Toh Heen is open daily for lunch and dinner.
InterContinental Hong Kong, Lower Level (Opposite Harbourside)