2020 Yunnan Sourcing "Suan Zao Shu" Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

Suan Zao Shu village is one of the most remote villages in the Jinggu area, taking nearly 2 hours from Jinggu town to arrive there.  The winding dirt roads stop about 5 kilometers before you arrive and the remaining distance must be traversed by foot.  Suan Zao Shu village lies at an altitude of 1800 meters and is home to tea trees ranging in age from 50 years up to 400 years.  Our Suan Zao Shu tea cake is made from tea leaves harvested 200-300 year old tea trees in the Li family tea garden.

Suan Zao Shu tea is very strong in flavor, aroma and cha qi.  The flavor is that of fruit with a honey like sweetness and a touch of sour, as well as having a bitter and savory edge as well that adds to it's depth.  The aroma is hard to describe, brothy and mushroom-like.  This tea has very strong mouth-feel, returning taste (hui gan) and the cha qi is a bit stupefying (in a good way).  The brewed leaves are mostly dark olive in color, large (in scale), thick and stout stemmed.

Stone-pressed in the traditional manner.  

April 2020 Harvest

Wrapper design by Anj Ferrara

250 grams per cake (7 cakes per bamboo tong)

30 kilograms in total

This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory for 191 pesticides, and is within the EU MRL limits set for those 191 pesticide residues. For a full list of the 191 pesticides we tested for and more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link.