2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Autumn Da Qing Gu Shu" Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

Da Qing Gu Shu is made from old-tree tea leaves picked at the end of Autumn 2025 in Da Qing village, a remote area of Jinggu County where old tea trees continue to grow in an unusually clean, undisturbed environment. This production comes from the garden of a single family whose trees are among the oldest in the area, with ages ranging from 100 to 300 years.

This is a tea of remarkable balance and stamina. Bitter, astringent, sweet, spicy, and floral notes all arrive together, yet nothing feels disjointed. Instead, the tea unfolds with steadiness and poise across many infusions, leaving a long-lasting impression in the mouth, throat, and body. It is a deeply satisfying autumn old-arbor sheng with both immediate appeal and excellent aging potential.

Why it’s special

• Single-family production: made from one family’s old-tree garden in remote Da Qing village
• Old-arbor material (100–300 yrs): delivers depth, structure, and enduring cha qi
• Late-autumn harvest character: rounder and more settled than spring, while still full of complexity and strength
• Remarkable balance: bitterness, sweetness, spice, floral lift, and astringency all work together rather than competing
• Very limited quantity: a focused, small-scale production with strong village identity

Tasting notes

• Aroma: wildflower honey, dried herbs, meadow florals, light spice, warm wood
• Liquor: clear golden-amber with a smooth, substantial body
• Flavor: layered sweet-bitter interplay with floral lift, gentle spice, and a clean, structured astringency
• Mouthfeel: thick, steady, and mouth-coating without heaviness
• Finish & feel: long-lasting hui-gan, persistent shengjin (mouthwatering return), and a lingering sensation in the throat and body that continues well after the session

Origin & processing

• Area: Da Qing village, Jinggu County, Simao Prefecture
• Trees: old arbor, 100–300 years
• Production: one-family garden
• Season: Late Autumn 2025
• Craft: hand-picked • sun-withered • hand-rolled • sun-dried • stone-pressed
• Wrapper: design by Cath Van

Brewing guide

(Great water helps. This tea rewards measured, attentive brewing.)

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
• Tip: If the astringency shows too strongly, shorten the first pours slightly or lower the temperature to 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. Sweet, floral, and pleasantly structured.

Thermos style

• 1 gram per 100 ml
• Use 95C water and steep for 10-15 minutes

Pairing & occasions

Excellent with plain nuts, mild crackers, or simple dark chocolate. A beautiful tea for slower, contemplative sessions where its balance and aftertaste can fully reveal themselves.

Aging notes

Built to integrate and round out with age. Store in 50-65% RH and 70-90F, in an odor-free area, with minimal airflow. Over time, expect the bitterness and astringency to soften, while sweetness, spice, and body deepen and become even more harmonious.

In Summary

• Name: 2025 “Autumn Da Qing Gu Shu” Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake
• Region: Da Qing village, Jinggu County, Simao Prefecture
• Trees: old arbor, 100–300 years
• Harvest: Late Autumn 2025
• Production: single-family garden
• Wrapper design: Cath Van

In short: A very limited, single-family autumn Jinggu sheng with superb balance, layered sweet-bitter-spicy-floral complexity, and a long, resonant finish in the mouth, throat, and body.

This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory and has passed the MRL limits for 404 pesticide residues as established by the EU Food and Safety commission. For more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link.