Description
This dark fired tea comes to us from Yunnan, birthplace of the Pu'er. It contains bits of orange zest. On first infusion, it reveals itself to be pleasantly light, with woody-honey notes and light, filigree notes of cooked orange, with a hint of sweet spices (cinnamon, clove). More candied, sweet orange notes emerge from the second infusion, with a very woody finish reminiscent of Hojicha roasted tea.
Origin: China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna prefecture, Menghai county
Terroir: This tea comes from Menghai county, in the Dai autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna, on the borders of Laos and Burma; it's part of the Golden Triangle, China's tea-growing region, and famous for its Pu'er. In the 1970s, the Menghai factory introduced the accelerated fermentation method (Wodui), which has since spread to Pu'er production in Yunnan.
History/tradition: There's a long tradition of citrus Pu'er in Yunnan, with all kinds of fruit such as tangerines, grapefruits and oranges being directly filled with tea and left to ripen together. Or, as in this case, teas compressed into a wafer with pieces of orange peel. Both Pu'er and dried citrus infusions are consumed in Chinese medicine, among other things, for their digestive properties and to support general good health.
Type of tea bushes: semi-wild large-leaf tea bushes
Type: cooked (shu)
Harvest: 2017
Production method: This tea is made from a blend of teas from the Lao Ban Zhang region, part of Banzang, where old plantations that have returned to the wild are once again being harvested, from trees that have resumed their growth. Dried orange peel is added when this Pu'er Shu is pressed into a wafer.
Weight and size: small wafer, approx. 30g, diameter approx. 4.5cm, thickness approx. 1.8cm.
Aromatic profile: a sweet, mild Pu'er whose citrus notes subtly add a gourmet touch to this fresh, slightly woody tea. It also develops a more earthy, spicy pole typical of fermented teas.
- Texture: round, thick
- Taste: sweet
- Notes: earthy, mineral, dried citrus, candy sugar, camphor, candied orange, cinnamon, woody.
Western-style infusion:
- Hot tea: 10g/1L, 4 minutes at 80°C for an earthier, spicier profile, or 10g/1L, 2 minutes at 100°C for a fresher, fruitier profile.
- Iced tea: 10g/1L, 1h at room temperature.
Chinese-style infusion: in GongFuCha, 4g/100ml, 90 to 100°C, 30 seconds for the 1st infusion, 20 seconds for the next 2 infusions, then increase by 10 seconds for each additional infusion.
More tips? watch Arnaud Dhenin's video tutorials on dark and Pu Erh teas on our YouTube channel and read all about this tea on his blog.
| Please note: Pu'er is a protected appellation, and can only be claimed by teas from Yunnan, made from large-leaf varieties and using a specific process. |
