Origin: Nanping, Pu'er, Yunnan, China
Product year: 2019
Raw material: Spring 2017
Altitude: approx. 1,800 m
Plant: Menghai/Yunnan large-leaf Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Harvest: Mid-April
Format: Loose leaf
Certification: NOP Organic · EU Organic · JAS/ECOCERT Organic
Processing: Picking → Withering → Sha Qing → Rolling → Sun Drying → Wet Piling
Ripe puer differs fundamentally from red tea because its dark character is not created primarily through enzymatic oxidation.
Fresh Yunnan large-leaf material is first processed into sun-dried maocha. It then undergoes wo dui, or wet-pile fermentation: the leaves are moistened, piled and carefully managed under warm, humid conditions.
Microbial activity and oxidation during this stage rapidly transform the tea's chemistry, color, aroma and texture. Controlling moisture, temperature and microbial conditions is critical; clean fermentation should produce sweetness and depth rather than unpleasant moldy or sour aromas.
This lot uses high-grade organic material with a relatively high proportion of buds.
Profile: Camphor · Mint · Dark cocoa · Roasted chicory · Sweet wood · Earth