Bi Yu

A rare Taiwanese cultivar with the esteemed parentage of Qing Xin and Jin Xuan, these particularly tight and tiny pearls were harvested late in the year and at a low altitude, yet seem to soar upwards with etherial aroma. The wet leaves release their contents slowly, first expressing the rich autumnal scent of baked apples and a thin and creamy liquor, before revealing their intensity, with the umami of sautéed spinach and the deep florality of orchid. Their magic, not unlike that of the milder days of November, is to conceal these contrasts in such a mild, subtle package as to almost go unnoticed, leaving one with a contentment that cannot quite be explained.