China: Yiwu Man Hei 2006 Sheng Puerh

喬木麻黑寨 Wild Arbor Gushu

Picked in March 2006 from Man Hei in the Yiwu area of Yunnan. The average age of the trees is about 500 years old. Yiwu has a high altitude, and the soil is very fertile, giving the tea its unique profile. Traditionally, the tea is stored in Zhuan “brick” form (hydraulic press) and wrapped with bamboo leaves. This wrapping style also helps to age the tea in a particular way, as the bamboo leaf transforms slightly with the tea brick. Tea from Yi-Wu has a strong cha-qi and is very bitter at first. Yet, as it ages, this bitterness transforms into something quite pleasant to drink with a long, deep aftertaste and a returning sweetness.  The savory caramel notes are a distinguishing characteristic of Yiwu and always leave you wanting more.  With almost twenty years of dry aging, it can steep well into the double digits for you to discover the layered nuances.  The taste is full, focused, and well-rounded, while the liquid is a deep color with a thick viscosity that coats the cup with a layer of caramel.  

Please take care when breaking into this hard brick. We recommend splitting it in half with a thin, long nail and a hammer, as it may break or damage your Puerh Knife.  

Origin:

Yiwu, Yunnan, China

Cultivar:

Da Ye

Flavor Profile:

Salted plum, Savory caramel, Toasted Almonds, Marigold

Servings:

Sampler: 4 x 5g 

Brick: 50 x 5g

Net weight:

20g sampler / 250g Brick