Wild Winter Buds
Winter wakes gently in Dehong, and Wild Winter Buds (Ye Sheng Ya Bao) are ready to meet it. Picked in mid-February 2025 from untended trees at 1 100 m, these white tea buds are spread to sun the same day. The cup is crystal clear, tasting like snowmelt touched with blossom honey, with pine and apricot in the aroma. Caffeine level? The lowest among teas, thanks to winter dormancy and minimal handling that keep stimulation soft. Feature to advantage to outcome: bud-only picking concentrates amino acids and simple sugars, so texture stays silky, tannin remains low, and you feel calm focus rather than jitters. Made from wild trees on Yunnan’s Dehong frontier, it’s refreshing for daily drinking yet structured enough to reward patience over years.
Place & craft
Mangshi sits in a warm valley of red-sandstone hills rising to forested ridges. Even in late winter, days reach about 23 °C while nights fall sharply. That swing slows metabolism, so the tips load sweetness and amino acids that later read as body and lingering finish. Roots of wild trees thread mineral seams among banana, pine, and lychee, lending a subtle saline snap. The harvest window is brief. Two weeks after Lunar New Year the dormant tips awaken; by early March, new leaves divert those sugars and flavour dulls. Bud-only picking locks in concentration you cannot recover later in the season.
Processing is simple, and every decision counts. Fresh material is spread thin on woven bamboo trays under open mountain sun. Surface moisture leaves quickly while the interior stays below 40 °C, keeping grassy enzymes quiet without drifting toward roast. No kill-green firing follows. Trays rest indoors overnight to equalise moisture, then the tea is sealed. There is no rolling or pressing. The waxy cuticle of these white tea buds slows oxygen exchange, guiding gentle natural oxidation and preserving clear aromatics. Everything is hand-plucked and small-batch, because minutes from field to tray show in the cup. The season is fleeting, so availability is naturally limited.
Bud science
What kind of buds are these, and why does it matter? They are dormant shoot buds taken from older wood on the tree, not the soft apical tips used for classic styles like Silver Needle, and not flower buds. Their overlapping scales protect the interior through winter, giving that tiny pine-cone look. This anatomy means less lignin than mature leaves, so tannin stays low and mouthfeel stays satin-smooth across many infusions. Winter dormancy also brings very low caffeine, since the plant’s defence needs drop when pest pressure is minimal. The result is a naturally gentle, low caffeine tea that suits any time of day.
The plant is Camellia assamica dehongensis, a local tea plant variety known for cool resin notes and soft structure. Expect resin-fresh pine, white peach, and a clean mineral line that keeps sweetness lively rather than sticky. Sun-drying preserves the enzyme balance that lets flavour evolve slowly, shifting from pale straw today toward light amber and dried-fruit depth with time. In short, Ya Bao offers a different plant part, a different chemistry, and a different experience — bright, calm, and quietly complex. Easy to enjoy now, and a refined daily cup.
FAQ
Are these leaf buds or branch buds?
They are dormant shoot buds from older wood, not fresh leaf tips and not flower buds. This gives low tannin, satin texture, and resin-fresh aroma.
How low is the caffeine?
Among the lowest in tea. Winter dormancy and bud-only plucking, combined with gentle sun-drying, produce a very soft lift compared with green or black teas.
What makes the taste so mineral and pine-fresh?
Wild trees grow among banana, pine, and lychee on red-sandstone hills. Deep roots tap mineral seams, shaping a clean, slightly saline finish with cool resin notes.
Why sun-dried instead of pan-fired?
Direct sun removes surface moisture quickly while keeping internal temperature modest. This preserves delicate aromatics and allows slow, positive change over time.
How does it differ from Silver Needle?
Silver Needle uses soft apical tips from new growth. Wild Winter Buds use dormant branch buds. Expect lower tannin, gentler energy, and a resin-tinged aroma.