2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Sanctuary" Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

The third “Sanctuary” release: a small-batch blend built from two separate wet piles, one from the Yi Wu area, the other from the Bu Lang area. We kept the cha tou (tea nuggets) in the mix for extra sweetness, body, and stamina. In the cup it’s smooth, fruity, chocolatey, and creamy,

Lively on the palate with a soothing finish. Each cake ships in a matching gift box featuring the full, uncropped illustration by Fionn Jordan.

Why it’s special

• Two-terroir architecture: Yi Wu brings round sweetness and perfume; Bu Lang adds depth and backbone.

• Cha tou included: natural “nuggets” from the pile add syrupy sweetness and endurance across many steeps.

• Clean, plush fermentation for an ultra-smooth, comfort-first profile.

• Ready to drink now but will develop additional depth and complexity with age.

Tasting notes

• Aroma: cocoa, red date/jujube, brown sugar, cedar with a hint of camphor.

• Liquor: deep mahogany; thick, “soupy” texture with a silky glide.

• Flavor: dark chocolate and malt up front; ripe stone fruit and molasses through the mid-palate; gentle herbal-cooling lift.

• Finish & feel: long, sweet aftertaste; calming, cozy energy.

Origin & processing

• Areas: Yi Wu (Xishuangbanna) + Bu Lang (Menghai) components

• Type: ripe (shou) pu-erh from two small wet-pile batches (wo dui)

• Form: 357 g cake; cha tou intentionally retained

• Pressed: 2025

• Packaging: matching gift box included (not sold separately)

Brewing guide

Gongfu (recommended)

• 6–7 g per 100 ml

• 100 °C (boiling)

• Two quick rinses, then 10 s • 12 s • 15 s • 20 s • 25 s, adding as you go for 8–12 infusions

• Tip: if you want even more creaminess, extend mid–late steeps slightly.

Western / mug

• 4–5 g per 300 ml (10 oz)

• 96–100 °C for 3–4 minutes

• 2–3 infusions, adding 30–45 s each round

Grandpa style

• 1–1.2 g per 100 ml

• 95–100 °C, no rinse; top up as you sip for a chocolatey, smooth cup

Iced / flash-chill

• Brew western slightly stronger and pour over ice for a mellow, cocoa-sweet glass.

Pairing & occasions

Dark chocolate, roasted nuts, butter cookies, or dried figs. Ideal as a nightly wind-down, a rainy-day comfort tea, or a side-by-side with your Sanctuary earlier releases to compare blend intent.

Good to know

• Caffeine: medium

• Gift box note: minor creases or cosmetic blemishes can occur in transit; replacement boxes aren’t available.

• Cha tou = compact nuggets formed during fermentation; they brew slower at first, then release concentrated sweetness.

Aging notes

Store in 50–65% RH and 70–90F, in an odor-free area, with minimal airflow. Expect deeper jujube/cocoa sweetness, silkier texture, and more integrated wood/camphor over the next several years.

In Summary

• Name: 2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Sanctuary" Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

• Blend: Yi Wu + Bu Lang ripe components; cha tou retained

• Process: mao cha → wo dui (wet-piled) → rested → pressed (2025)

• Net weight: 357 g per cake

• Packaging: matching gift box with illustration by Fionn Jordan

In short: a plush, two-terroir shou with chocolatey depth, fruit-sweet warmth, and that signature Sanctuary smoothness, easy to love now and rewarding to age.

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.