2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Ku Zhu Shan Hong" Black Tea Cake

We are very excited to offer a sun-dried, wild arbor, pure assamica varietal Black tea! It's harvested from 100+ year old tea trees growing naturally on Ku Zhu Mountain! Ku Zhu Mountain is near Wenshan village about 7 kilometers southeast of Jing Gu town in Pu'er prefecture (previously known as Simao).

Sweet, floral, fruity with almost juice-like viscous tea soup and lots of body. Very infusable tea that gives evenly across 7 to 8 rounds, and then gives way to a bit thinner and sweet from round 8 onward. A good choice for near term aging. Will improve in flavor for many years to come! 

A premium wild arbor black tea with excellent aging possibilities!

Why it’s special

• Wild-arbor, old trees (100+ yrs): Thick, mineral-rich leaf delivers depth, texture, and natural sweetness.

• Sun-dried black processing: Fully oxidized and finished in the sun for open, high fragrance and a rounded, smooth body.

• Assamica power: Pure assamica gives density and red-fruit warmth without harshness.

• Built to age: Delicious now and a strong near-term ager. Expect deepening honey/fruit and silkier texture over the next years.

Tasting notes

• Aroma: Wildflower honey, red fruit (longan/lychee), orange zest, light florals, a hint of cocoa husk.

• Liquor: Clear amber-crimson; viscous, juice-like texture; medium-full body.

• Flavor: Ripe stone fruit and baked sugar over gentle malt; soft florals; a whisper of citrus peel brightness.

• Finish & feel: Long, sweet finish with steady hui-gan; smooth, mouth-coating body that stays lively across many steeps.

Origin & processing

• Mountain / Area: Ku Zhu Mountain, near Wenshan village, ~7 km SE of Jinggu (Pu’er/Simao), Yunnan

• Trees: Wild arbor, 100+ years, naturally grown

• Season: April 2025 harvest

• Craft: Hand-picked • withered • rolled • fully oxidized • sun-dried (shai hong) • pressed into cakes

• Scale: Only 150 kg total production

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

Brewing guide

(Good water matters. Adjust to taste.)

Gongfu (recommended)

• 5 g / 100 mL

• 95–98 °C (203–208 °F)

• Quick wake-up rinse, then 15s • 20s • 25s • 30s • 35s…

• Expect 7–8 even, dense infusions before it lightens into a honey-sweet, easy finish.

Western

• 3 g / 300 mL (10 oz)

• 95 °C • 2–3 min

• 2–3 infusions, adding 15–30s each round.

Grandpa style

• 1–1.5 g / 300–350 mL, 90–95 °C

• Top up as you sip. Round, honey-red fruit with minimal astringency.

Cold brew

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

• Silky, low-tannin brew with lychee/longan sweetness and gentle citrus lift.

Pairing & occasions

• Lovely with butter cookies, roasted nuts, lightly sweet pastries, or 65–70% dark chocolate. A soothing afternoon cup and a welcoming “intro to shai hong” for oolong/pu-erh drinkers.

In Summary

• Caffeine: Medium to medium-high

• Storage & aging: Store cool, dry, odor-free, away from light; allow mild airflow. Excellent near-term aging potential expect thicker mouthfeel and deeper dried-fruit notes over 3–8+ years.

• Name: 2025 “Ku Zhu Shan Hong” Wild Arbor Sun-Dried Black Tea

• Region: Ku Zhu Mountain, near Wenshan village, Jinggu (Pu’er/Simao), Yunnan

• Trees: 100+-year-old wild arbor, assamica

• Harvest: April 2025

• Process: Sun-dried black (shai hong); pressed cake

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

• Production: 150 kg total

• Wrapper Design: Holly Tempka

In short: A premium, wild-arbor shai hong from Ku Zhu Mountain! Sweet, floral, and fruit-rich with a plush, juice-like body, long hui-gan, and the bones to age gracefully.

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.