• handmade item

• materials: big-leaved arbor tea leaves from Menghai county

• shape: loose leaf

This shou pu-er brews a dark red liquor with a rich honey flavour and a long-lasting jasmine rice aroma. The buds used to make this tea are harvested from the high mountains of Menghai County, located in the west of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan province. These buds, harvested in 2008, have been post-fermented for 16 years, resulting in a tea with a richer aroma and a darker wine colour. The unique flavour profile of this tea, with its honey notes and jasmine rice aroma, promises a truly delightful tasting experience.

Shou pu-er is produced by applying the modern pile-fermentation technology known as wodui on maocha. By allowing enzymes to react with polyphenols, sugar and protein from tea leaves under controlled humidity, temperature and environment, it renders rice-milk-like smoothness and sweetness to the flavours of tea, which characterize the flavours of aged sheng pu-er. Loose-leaf pu-er is evaluated based on suppleness, density and lustre and is classified into golden buds, royal, gift, premium, first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth grade. Golden buds grade pu-er contains the smallest buds possible, while ninth grade contains the largest leaves. Right now, we have first to seventh grades. There is a marginal difference in the taste; the first grade has a slightly more robust and woodier flavour, while the seventh grade has a milder and sweeter flavour. The third and fifth grades fall in between the spectrum.

Shou pu-er has a warming property that makes it very easy on the stomach. The tea demonstrates a broad spectrum of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, breaking down grease, and promoting healthy weight loss.