• handmade item

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

• shape: loose leaf

This shou pu-er brews dark red liquor with a rich honey flavor and long-lasting jasmine rice aroma. Full tea leaves from high mountains in Menghai County, located in west of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan province, are harvested to make the tea in 2008. Pu-er has the potential to ferment over time, and this tea has post-fermented for 16 years since production. Post-fermentation renders richer aroma and darker wine colour.

Shou pu-er is produced from 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. Simply put, 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 marginal difference in the taste; first grade has a slightly stronger 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 go very easy on stomach. The tea demonstrates a broad spectrum of health benefits including lowering cholesterol, breaking down grease and promoting healthy weight loss.