A purple-colored cultivar of the Camellia sinensis tea plant was used for this shu-style pu-erh, hailing from Bada Mountain—near Menghai—in Yunnan Province. This protected region can only be harvested by the local tribal residents, who have tended the trees for generations. The sweet, full flavor is balanced from the first cup, with a deep aroma of marshland and everglades and a rich chocolate brown liquor. Compressed into a traditional brick shape in 2009, it’s excellent for drinking now. At a generous size, there will also be plenty to store and enjoy for years to come.

To brew, unwrap the bamboo leaf covering and gently flake off a small portion of the brick; rinse tea leaves briefly in boiling water before steeping to hydrate them and preheat your teaware. Take this complex tea through multiple infusions, tracing the arc of flavor and fragrance through each.

Country: China
Region: Yunnan
Tasting Notes: peanut, earthy, rich
Year of Production: 2009

500 g

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 210º F

 3-5 grams, 3 minute steep

 ⅓ full, 20-30 second steep