The aroma of tea from B'Lao

Strangely, it has become a habit: every time I'm about to pass through Bao Loc, Lam Dong , I roll down my car window to enjoy the gentle aroma of B'Lao tea and take in the breathtaking sight of the endless stretches of lush green Oolong tea plantations. Standing amidst the expansive, romantic, and vibrant atmosphere of the young city of Bao Loc, I naturally recall the transformations of the "tea industry" in this mountainous region.

Vast tea plantations in the B'Lao region.

Nature has bestowed upon the ancient B'Lao plateau and the present-day city of Bao Loc a climate and soil perfectly suited for tea cultivation and the tea industry. The essence of nature, the essence of the earth, and the warmth of the people of this mountain town have created the renowned "B'Lao Tea" brand. I have visited Bao Loc many times and been captivated by the gentle aromas wafting through the B'Lao tea streets—the scent of young rice, fresh milk, jasmine, wolfberry, lotus... The fragrance of tea may not be as intense as before, but it is still enough to entice countless travelers.

I'm more familiar with B'Lao than Bao Loc, because I'm captivated by the aroma of its tea and the tranquil, elegant atmosphere of its town. B'Lao has changed through many historical periods. And Bao Loc today is like a mountain girl in her adolescence. Every morning upon waking, the warmth of a cup of green tea infused with the fragrant scent of jasmine and gardenia fills the air with a sense of wonder and longing.

In the tranquil setting of a tea-drinking space, accompanied by soothing instrumental music, Mr. Tran Dai Binh, owner of Thien Thanh tea shop and Chairman of the Lam Dong Tea Association, shared: “This region is very suitable for tea appreciation, offering serenity and self-healing experiences. Tea is a product, but not entirely just a product, because tea appreciation involves stories about culture and the land. Bao Loc is the land of tea, and we must start with tea, but without passion and love for tea, we cannot succeed.”

Mr. Binh is the second generation to continue his parents' tea business. Thien Thanh tea has been established for over two-thirds of a century in B'Lao. Back then, about a dozen large tea brands "appeared" in this region, while smaller ones operated quietly; each tea brand chose a "spirit animal" or number to name its product. "When it was first established, Thien Thanh - 'success by the will of heaven' - used the symbol of a 'fairy' as its representative image, later changing to a 'golden deer'. This image evokes memories of the once wild but fertile land of B'Lao. Now, our generation continues the mission of spreading the 'B'Lao Tea' brand, proudly saying: 'This is Vietnamese tea'," Mr. Binh stated emphatically.

In the south, whenever tea is mentioned, people immediately think of the B'Lao plateau. For nearly a century, tea plants have quietly intertwined with the lives of every person, every family, every garden corner, and every street corner. Following the flow of history, the tea industry in B'Lao has also experienced ups and downs, fading away over time. Yet, the tea industry remains deeply rooted in the lives of the local people.

"The 'Queen of Fragrant Tea' Do Thi Ngoc Sam, owner of the renowned Do Huu tea shop, once told me: 'Tea land is precious. It would be a great waste not to pursue the tea business!' Ms. Sam moved from Hue to B'Lao to establish her business in 1950. Now she has passed away, but this land will always remember her contributions, as the person who laid the foundation for the fragrant tea industry in Bao Loc."

In 1956, Do Huu tea officially entered the market with the symbol of a white dove. This symbol, representing the wish for peace, remains famous to this day.

In the 1930s, from the Cau Dat tea-growing region of Da Lat at an altitude of over a thousand meters, tea plants spread down to Di Linh and then Bao Loc along the newly opened Da Lat-Saigon road. Tea began to take root in B'Lao, with plantations owned by Westerners, such as the Paule, Soven, Laruy, Felit B'Lao, and B'Lao Sierré plantations. This was followed by the emergence of family-run tea farms and plantations, such as those of Nam Mau, Huynh Hoa, Ngo Van, and the name Le Minh Xanh was given to the slope at the entrance to Bao Loc town, a name that persists to this day… From then on, this basalt land formed a class of people deeply connected to the "tea industry".

“Go home and tell your parents/ To marry me, please bring Van Huong tea cakes.” This folk song was once passed down in B'Lao to commemorate the famous Van Huong tea. This renowned tea originated in the 1960s, later renamed Lan Huong. Currently, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue (65 years old) is the second generation to inherit the business. She recounts that her childhood was filled with early mornings following her father to the vast tea hills of the B'Lao plateau, and the tea business has been intertwined with her ever since. “Now, Lan Huong continues to preserve and develop the values of naturally scented tea products (tea infused with natural flower fragrances) and in the future will expand to include products made from tea ingredients,” Ms. Hue said.

Unlike the traditional, handcrafted tea processing of the past, the modern tea-scenting technology has advanced significantly. Many tea businesses and enterprises have invested in modern equipment to expand their market, spreading the fragrance of B'Lao tea far and wide. The owner of Lan Huong tea shop recounts that the creation of this tea street, reminiscent of a movie setting and featuring renowned teas in Bao Loc today, is the result of a long and steadfast commitment to the land and its people. Ms. Hue affirms: "This land thrives with tea!" Her family is nurturing the idea of opening a tea-making training class. She says: "This has been my heartfelt dream for a long time – to ensure B'Lao tea can firmly reach a wider market."

After 1975, tea cultivation in Lam Dong province expanded significantly, particularly in state-owned farms and family-owned plantations. By 1997, new high-yield tea varieties emerged, such as LD97, TB11, and TB14, produced using asexual reproduction methods, boasting superior productivity and quality, with yields reaching 20 to 25 tons per hectare. By 2000, additional high-quality varieties like Kim Tuyen, Tu Quy, Thuy Ngoc, and Oolong were introduced. This marked the origin of the "B'Lao Tea" brand, currently licensed to over 30 tea processing businesses and establishments in Bao Loc city and Bao Lam district. The "B'Lao Tea" brand has been protected in China and is currently in the process of being registered for protection in Singapore.

In Bao Loc city, there are currently 70 businesses and approximately 90 establishments producing, processing, and trading tea; the annual production of various types of tea exceeds 23,000 tons. From the highlands, "B'Lao Tea" has spread to many domestic and international markets, with an annual export value of approximately 15 million USD. Dr. Pham S, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Lam Dong province, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tea Science and Technology Association, and the inventor of the LD97 tea variety more than 25 years ago, said: "Lam Dong was once known as the 'tea capital' of Vietnam. Currently, it is the province with the largest concentrated tea growing area in the country, accounting for 25% of the area and 27% of the production."

The city of Bao Loc has repeatedly organized the Tea Culture Festival, allowing renowned teas of the past, such as Do Huu, Quoc Thai, Bao Tin, Tram Anh, Hoa Sen… and many contemporary teas like Lan Huong, Thien Thanh, Thien Huong, Tam Chau, Phuong Nam… to evoke the senses of literati and scholars traveling through the mountain town. Tea connoisseurs in this basalt region believe that B'Lao tea possesses a unique flavor, having once captivated the tea-drinking tastes of people in the South, with fresh tea buds pressed to remove bitterness, dried, then flavored and packaged. B'Lao scented teas mainly feature wolfberry, jasmine, lotus, and herbal aromas… with a delicate and pleasant taste. “When visiting Bao Loc and enjoying a cup of B'Lao tea in a tranquil setting, travelers will feel the culture of the land and people of B'Lao,” shared Tran Dai Binh, Chairman of the Lam Dong Tea Association.

As evening falls, the gentle east wind sweeps across the basalt land, carrying the lingering scent of tea, and from somewhere a song rises: "I love Bao Loc city, my tea homeland / shimmering with silken hues… The vast aroma of tea / a dreamy mountain town / your silk dress fluttering in the evening…" making the traveler hesitate in their steps.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/huong-tra-xu-b-lao-237726.html