Creating luxury lotus tea in Hanoi is a meticulous process that embodies the essence of Vietnamese culture. Each kilogram of lotus tea requires over 1,000 lotus flowers, harvested in the early morning to preserve their fragrance. This elaborate process results in a product that can fetch hundreds of dollars per kilogram.

Artisans emphasize that lotus tea represents the rich cultural heritage of Vietnam. The tea is made by infusing tea leaves with the fragrant stamen of lotus flowers, making it highly valuable due to the intricate steps involved from harvesting to infusion.

Pham The Duyet, a master tea maker and award-winner at the Tea Master Cup Vietnam in 2019, explains that the best lotus tea is made from flowers picked before sunrise to retain their full aroma. Harvesting begins around 3 a.m. in the lotus ponds of Thuong Tin District, Hanoi. This year, however, heavy rains have significantly reduced the yield.

The bach diep variety of lotus, originally from Hanoi’s West Lake, is preferred for its light, fresh scent. Lotus flowers bloom from May to early August, and a single acre of lotus can produce enough flowers to make about 15 kilograms of lotus tea.

The fragrance of the lotus varies by location, with West Lake lotus being historically prized for its scent. Despite this, Duyet asserts that Thuong Tin lotus, with its long history, is equally exquisite.

After harvesting, the flowers undergo a process to extract the stamen, which is considered the “scent bag” of the lotus. The stamen is then carefully infused with tea leaves from ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees, known for their large leaves and less bitter taste, allowing the lotus fragrance to shine through.

In traditional methods, layers of stamen and tea are alternated, and the tea is stored in clay jars. This cycle of infusion and drying is repeated 5-7 times to achieve the desired fragrance. Modern methods may only repeat the process 2-3 times for a lighter, more affordable product.

Duyet’s lotus tea sells for VND8 million to VND20 million ($314 to $786) per kilogram, depending on the type and infusion process. Each sip of this luxurious tea offers a taste of Vietnam’s cultural and natural heritage.