2025 Yunnan Sourcing "San Ke Shu" Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

From the same Bang Dong area as our “Forest Tea,” this tiny production comes from a small grove of old tea trees, 三棵树 (“San Ke Shu,” three-tree grove) near Bang Dong village, Mengku (Lincang). One family picked and hand-processed the material from during April 2025, preserving a pristine, site-driven character. Pressed into 250 g cakes with a graceful wrapper design by María Mergruen, and limited to only 120 cakes total.

In the cup it’s very pure, with strong cha qi, a textured, lively mouthfeel, and a clean, slight bitterness that fades quickly, leaving a cool, sweet length.

Why it’s special

• Single-family, micro-grove pick: One family handled the entire harvest and craft, traceable, focused, and intimate.

• Old-arbor material: Naturally grown trees yield thickness, stamina, and a palpable energy in the cup.

• Bang Dong precision: Lincang brightness and mineral clarity over steady sweetness and tidy structure.

• Built to integrate and round out with age: That quick-clearing bitterness and clean profile promise graceful development in storage.

Tasting notes

• Aroma: Cool camphor/pine, mountain florals, sweet cane, citrus peel, light grain.

• Liquor: Pale gold → light amber; textured, lively mouthfeel with bright clarity.

• Flavor: Gentle honeyed sweetness and cane; slight green bitterness that vanishes quickly; hints of pomelo zest and alpine herb.

• Finish & feel: Marked cooling effect, long hui-gan, persistent shengjin (mouthwatering return), and a confident, focused cha qi.

Origin & processing

• Area: Bang Dong village, Mengku, Lincang, Yunnan

• Garden: Small old-arbor grove (“San Ke Shu”)

• Harvest: April 2025 • Pressed: June 15th, 2025

• Craft: Hand-picked • sun-withered • hand-rolled • sun-dried • traditionally pressed

• Format: 250 g per cake (7 cakes per bamboo-leaf tong)

• Production: Only 120 cakes (≈30 kg total)

Brewing guide

(Great water + short early steeps will spotlight purity and that quick-clearing bitterness.)

Gongfu (recommended)

• 6 g / 100 mL

• 98–100 °C (208–212 °F)

• Quick rinse, then 5s • 8s • 10s • 12s • 15s, adding gradually for 10+ infusions.

• If structure feels too firm, shorten the first 2–3 steeps or pour at 95–96 °C.

Western

• 3–4 g / 300 mL (10 oz)

• 95–98 °C • 2:00–2:30

• 2–3 infusions, adding 20–30s each round.

Grandpa style

• 1–1.2 g / 100 mL, 90–95 °C

• Top up as you sip. Cool, resinous lift with clean sweetness.

Cold brew

• 8–10 g / 1 L, room-temp water; refrigerate 6–8 hours.

• Crisp, mint-camphor coolness and gentle cane sweetness.

Pairing & occasions

• A perfect compare-and-contrast with Forest Tea to taste wild vs. old-arbor expression from the same area.

In Summary

• Caffeine: Medium-High

• Storage & aging: Store cool, dry, odor-free, away from light; allow gentle airflow. Expect deeper honey/mineral tones and softer edges over 5–15 years, it’s built to integrate and round out with age.

• Name: 2025 “San Ke Shu” Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh (Sheng)

• Region: Bang Dong, Mengku (Lincang), Yunnan

• Trees: Old arbor grove (“San Ke Shu”)

• Harvest: Late March–Late April 2025

• Process: Traditional sheng; pressed cake

• Net weight: 250 g per cake (7 cakes per tong)

• Production: 120 cakes total (≈30 kg)

• Wrapper Illustration: María Mergruen

In short: A micro-lot, old-arbor San Ke Shu sheng from Bang Dong, pure, lively, and cooling with quick-clearing bitterness, strong cha qi, and the bones to age beautifully.

This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory for 404 pesticides, and is within the EU MRL limits set for those 404 pesticide residues. For a full list of the 404 pesticides we tested for and more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link.