Thai Nguyen

Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam is regarded as the "cradle of Vietnamese tea." Modern commercial production traces to French scientists who arrived in 1882 and established large-scale plantations; the local Vietnamese pioneer was Vu Van Hiet (1883–1945), who brought seedlings from Phu Tho and shared cultivation methods with the local population. The flagship region is Tan Cuong, ~400 hectares — one of only two Vietnamese teas to receive Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. The cup carries the local "young rice" aroma (one of Vietnamese tea's signature descriptors).