Dark Tea & Pu-erh

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Introduction:
This Ripe Puer Tea is meticulously selected from the autumn harvest of 2020. Plucked from high-altitude tea gardens in Mengku Town, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, at elevations of over 1200 meters, this tea is made from high-quality one-bud-three-leaf material. After three years of aging, it exudes a rich, aged aroma with notes of wood, earth, and smokiness. Its balanced, mellow flavor leaves a lingering sweetness on the palate, accompanied by subtle fruity and floral undertones.

Reasons to Recommend:

• Special Processing Technique: The "wet piling" (wo dui) process is a crucial fermentation step in crafting ripe Puer tea. It involves piling sun-dried tea leaves to a certain height, sprinkling them with water, and covering them with burlap to ferment under warm and humid conditions for about 24 hours. Once the leaves reach the desired level of transformation, they are spread out to dry.
• Three Years of Aging: The aging of Puer tea is a natural process of oxidation and microbial fermentation. During this time, polyphenols, amino acids, and other chemical compounds in the tea gradually transform, developing new aromas and flavors. Ripe Puer tea further develops complex aromas and a smoother texture through aging.
• High-Mountain Tea Gardens: Grown in high-altitude tea gardens at around 1200 meters, this tea thrives in an environment where lush vegetation, organic-rich soil, and extreme daily temperature fluctuations enhance the accumulation of flavorful compounds in the leaves.

Oxidation Level: Fully fermented
Roasting Level: None
Processing Time: Spring 2020
Best Before Date: Suitable for long-term storage
Tea Variety: Yunnan Big Leaf

Introduction:
This 2018 Liubao tea is sourced from high-altitude tea gardens in Guilin, Guangxi, and made from high-grade one-bud-three-leaf material. After five years of aging, the tea has undergone sufficient fermentation and transformation, developing a unique flavor profile with a distinctive betel nut aroma, a bright red liquor, and a smooth, mellow taste with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Reasons to Recommend:

• Core Production Area: Grown in Liubao Town, Wuzhou City, Guangxi, where the average annual temperature is 21.1°C, annual rainfall is 1503.6 mm, and annual sunshine duration is 1915 hours. The abundant rainfall and vast mountainous terrain create an ideal environment for tea cultivation.
• Unique Aroma: The "betel nut aroma" of Liubao tea originates from a faint "pine smoke fragrance" in newly made tea, which transforms into the distinctive "betel nut aroma" after prolonged aging. This aroma creates a lasting "cooling" sensation in the mouth.
• Rich History: Liubao tea flourished during the Tang and Song dynasties and reached its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Jiaqing period of the Qing dynasty, it was recognized as one of China's 24 famous teas for its unique betel nut aroma.
• Dual Benefits: Liubao dark tea holds a special place in traditional Chinese medicine. It is both cooling and warming, said to eliminate excess dampness while providing warmth when needed.

Oxidation Level: None
Roasting Level: None
Tea Garden Soil: Yellow soil
Master Blender: Liu Yongqiang
Processing Time: 2018
Best Before Date: Suitable for permanent storage
Tea Variety: Guangxi Group Variety

Introduction:
This Hubei Dark Tea is meticulously selected from the autumn harvest of 2022. Plucked from high-altitude tea gardens in Zhaoliqiao Town, Hubei Province, it adheres to the plucking standard of one bud and three leaves. This tea is a type of Hubei Dark Tea known as "Mi Zhuan Cha" (Rice Brick Tea), renowned for its unique flavor profile. The tea liquor is rich and robust, with a slight initial bitterness that transforms into a lasting sweet aftertaste. It primarily exudes a floral and honey-like aroma, accompanied by a subtle aged fragrance.

Reasons to Recommend:

• Unique Raw Material: Mi Zhuan Cha is a specialty tea produced in Chibi City, Hubei Province, known as the "Hometown of Chinese Brick Tea." It is a compressed black tea made entirely from tea dust, which gives it the name "Rice Brick Tea."
• Distinct Appearance: The finished Mi Zhuan Cha is visually striking, with sharp edges, a smooth surface adorned with intricate patterns, and a glossy black brick color. When brewed, it produces a deep red liquor with a pure aroma and a rich, mellow taste.
• High-Mountain Tea Gardens: The tea trees grow at high altitudes, where significant daily temperature variations slow their growth. The abundant mist and moisture nourish the tea trees, enriching the leaves with nutrients and resulting in a tea with a robust flavor and strong aroma.

Oxidation Level: Wet piling followed by high-temperature steam pressing
Roasting Level: None
Tea Garden Soil: Yellow-brown soil
Processing Time: Autumn 2022
Best Before Date: Suitable for long-term storage
Tea Variety: South Hubei Group Variety

Wild dark tea is produced in Anhua County, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, the birthplace of Anhua dark tea. The tea gardens are primarily located in mountainous areas at an altitude of 1000 meters. Grown in a pristine ecological environment with abundant vegetation, this wild dark tea is cultivated without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in limited yield with only one spring harvest per year. Processed using the Qiujiang Bopian Tea technique, it offers a pure and long-lasting pine-smoke aroma. The taste is rich, mellow, and sweet, with a lasting aftertaste and a unique pine-smoke fragrance. After consumption, a lingering sweetness remains in the mouth, leaving a memorable and unforgettable experience. Even after multiple infusions, it retains its distinctive aroma.

“Lao Cha Po” specifically refers to old leaves (not tender buds) harvested one week before and after Shuangjiang (one of China’s 24 solar terms, around October 23, marking the start of colder weather). These are mostly coarse leaves from the current year or 2–3-year-old growth. “Cha Po” is the Liubao people’s respectful name for old leaves. In the past, farmers sold tender buds as high-quality tea, while coarse old leaves were kept as everyday tea. The name reflects the farmers’ wisdom of “making full use of what you have.”

Around Shuangjiang, large temperature differences and reduced rainfall make the old leaves thicker and richer in sugars and nutrients, giving the tea a natural cane sugar sweetness. Tea harvested at this time has less astringency and a smoother, naturally sweet taste.

This Lao Cha Po tea was brewed at the tea bar during the 15th Northwest Tea Festival and loved by everyone, receiving high praise.

This tea is made using the traditional Liubao “picking and cleaning old leaves” method: fresh leaves are briefly blanched in hot water, then sun-dried or air-dried. Blanching reduces bitterness, while the drying process, similar to white tea, preserves most of the tea’s natural compounds.

This batch of Lao Cha Po comes from wild, aged tea trees in Shizhai Town, Wuzhou City, with tree ages of 30–50 years, making the raw material rare. Because it uses old trees, even with only 20 years of aging, the tea exhibits flavor comparable to 30+ years aged tea. The tea has a distinct medicinal aroma and carries the forest-like character unique to old trees, offering a rich and unique flavor.

High-quality Chinese loose leaf tea samples, individually wrapped, to try at a low price.

Introduction:
This Anhua Dark Tea is meticulously selected from the autumn harvest of 2021. Plucked from wild tea gardens in Anhua County, Hunan Province, it adheres to the plucking standard of one bud and three leaves. Recognized by the global tea and medical communities as one of the healthiest beverages of the 21st century, this tea exudes a unique pine smoke aroma when brewed, offering a pure, mellow, and sweet taste with a lasting aftertaste.

Reasons to Recommend:

• Special Processing Technique: Anhua Dark Tea undergoes a unique "wet piling" (wo dui) process twice—once during the initial processing of raw tea and again during the final product processing. This process utilizes the temperature and humidity of the tea leaves after fixation, allowing microorganisms in the air to interact with the leaves, resulting in the transformation of the tea's internal compounds.
• Premium Quality: This Anhua Dark Tea (Tianjian) is considered the finest variety available on the market and was historically treasured as a tribute tea for emperors.
• Unique Aroma: A special step in the production of Anhua Dark Tea is the "Seven Star Stove" roasting. During this process, pine wood is burned beneath the stove, and the pine smoke is channeled into the tea leaves, infusing them with a distinctive pine smoke aroma while drying.

Oxidation Level: Wet piling fermentation
Roasting Level: Seven Star Stove pine smoke roasting
Tea Garden Soil: Weathered slate soil
Processing Time: 2021
Best Before Date: Suitable for long-term storage
Tea Variety: Anhua Group Variety

Experience the perfect harmony between the bright, zesty aroma of sun-dried citrus and the deep, grounding soul of fermented dark tea. This 2021 vintage blend pairs premium Liu Bao tea with authentic Chenpi (aged citrus peel) from 30-year-old trees. It’s a comforting, "living" tea that grows smoother and sweeter with time—designed for those who seek a moment of calm in a busy day.