Gushu - China - 3 and more stars

Material for this cake came from Man Nan Lao Zhai in Hekai mountain. Man Nan Lao Zhai is home of Lahu minority. There are very few small trees in the tea gardens, most of the tea trees are really old, which have lived for several hundred years. We picked out the first picking tea in late March before the rains came. Silver and fat buds, dark leaves, strong aroma. The taste is rich, oily and full in mouth, bitter as Hekai is, aftertaste is fast and sweet. This tea come from the...

An old arbor Menghai blend. Thick body, lingering kuwei [pleasant bitterness], and plenty of oomph. This tea is a continuation of last year’s New Amerykah. The blend is slightly different, focusing more on sweetness and body than on bitterness.

This tea is from Jingmai Da Zhai, grown in Da Ping Zhang area, and it is considered to be of the finest Jingmai tea available on market. We took few kilos of this Huang Pian to Kunming, where some of it we offer as loose leaves and rest will be pressed into the cakes. This raw puerh is the highest selection of older tea leaves ( Huang Pian - yellow leaves, or Da Ye Zi ). The older leaves, coming from the hundred year's trees, become bright yellow, red or orange tinted. The tea workers sort...

The LaoManE rules over this autumn teas. In this village you may find really bitter tea and also sweet teas as the villagers call it. This one is something from the first and second too, very balanced and drinkable from it's very fresh state. Masterly picked and made maocha makes a great tea, made by a very skillfull and modest buddhist monk. A tea that comes with its sharp edge, a fruity center and very well defined taste.

This puer tea cake is made from a 2013 pure Spring blend of gushu [old tree] material from the Menghai region, heavily weighted with Bulang region material taken from forest areas (as opposed to old growth from old tea gardens) . Intense kuwei [bitterness] and potency that will not disappoint lovers of brute strength. We promise. The total production of this tea was under 30 kilograms. 357g Cake

The Naka king makes its way with a robust and specific taste even in the autumn season. Very powerful tea that despite it's overwhelming strengh makes you calm and quiet. Sweetish and very pleasant aftertaste. Nicely made leaves are visible from the first sight, strong stalks and veins are apparent in this high mountain gushu pu-erh tea.

This cake is made from high quality gushu leaves sourced from Luo Shui Dong 落水洞 - a famous puer producing village in Yiwu. The farmers here are primarily Han ethnicity, known for their excellent hand-processing technique. This early spring tea produces is a clear bright yellow liquor, with a sweet, buttery mouthfeel. Because it is easy to drink when young, Luo Shui Dong is a good entry point for those new to sheng (raw) puer, or those who don’t like bitter or astringent flavors.

This cake is one of the "four cakes set(Yiwu, Manzhuan, Menghai and Yibang)"which were produced by master Shi Kun Mu. Cakes have the same wrapper but different seal which is the name of mountain. Taiwanese master Shi Kun Mu is famous tea producer of highest quality ancient arbor puerh teas. He selects the materials personally and monitors production process from beginning to end. This cake is made of pure spring acient arbor tea from Yibang mountain. Yibang mountain is one of...

The mao cha were picked on the same day from the same tea garden. Light yellow liquor with rich scents of wildflowers; approachable, with a soft, smooth mouthfeel; fresh, delicate taste. This excellent sample will help to know the taste of Hekai tea.

„tailor-made” private production “Zhong Cha Gong Si” in Dayi (Menghai tea factory), so in case you see the 2001 BGT paper wrapper looks different. This tea is made by a dayi employe on a special request from Taiwan. Material is ancient tea trees, I would say gushu at very high rate. Taste is nicely aged, fine and smooth but still could move forward as there is still bitterness that will in next years transform to sweetie tones. Storage in Guangzhou...

This tea is collected from ancient, wild trees on Wuliang mountain. These are truely wild trees, that haven't been planted by humans and average around 800-1000 years old. The leaves naturally have honey like characteristics in the taste and aroma, which lends them very well to being made into hongcha (Red/Black tea). I find it difficult to get excited by many hongcha - the oxidisation often seems to mute many of the characteristics of teas that I find most enjoyable. This one...

Mengsong is one of the oldest ancient tea area in Menghai. Baotang old village is located next to the ancient tea garden. The ancient tea gardens are at an altitude of 1800 meters above the mountains. We tasted many kinds of Maocha and this is one of the pure Gushu(Ancient tea trees) tea samples. This tea has soft texture - mildly sweet and flowers aromas. Slightly bitter, cool and refreshing feeling left in the mouth.

This is the first time we made blending raw puer cake, so we took advice from a more experienced tea seller, who is also a friend. He offered many high quality Maocha from Mengsong area. The materials we chose came from the highest altitude (1860m) place, next to the Naban river national nature reserve. Far away from noise and pollution! Jingmai tea came from the same tea-maker as last year. We watched them only pick ancient trees for us. All the tea leaves are from one single...

高山流水 [gāo shān liú shuǐ] ：lofty mountains and flowing water; -- referring to the harsh reality that talent and ability can rarely meet [find] people who can really appreciate them. These cakes are a blend of the high mountain ancient tree tea from Mengku and Menghai area. The Menghai materials came from 2012 spring harvest and were matured for a year in Kunming, then blend with 2013 early spring tea from Mengku East Mid-levels. The tea has a strong taste, fresh,...

Fall 2007 Harvest * Yi Wu Wild Tea trees * 357 grams Zhen Si Long Tea company of Yi Wu is a small family run tea factory based in the Yi Wu mountain area of Xishuangbanna. Zhen Si Long has been producing teas since the late 90's and does many private pressings (like this year's Hai Lang Hao) as well as their own productions. This tea cake is produced entirely from Fall Harvest 2007 tea from Gao Shan Zhai and Luo Shui Dong area of Yi Wu. The leaves being fall harvest are...