Xiangzhuqing 2020

To the Pu'er lover, these spindly, dark green leaves may seem to push the envelope of what can be classified as Sheng Pu'er: the tart liquor they produce resembles certain green teas and lightly-oxidized oolongs, a fresh flavor that almost takes the 'fermented' out of 'post-fermented'. Yet this surprising mao cha, plucked from wild-growing, old tea trees, has more in store, as the tropical tang of pineapple subdues into the softer fruitiness of papaya and the sweetness of acacia honey, while a pungent aroma of charcoal leaves a hint of smokiness in the aftertaste.

These 'wild teas', produced from an area which may contain the oldest cultivated tea tree in the world, represent a completely different and truly rewarding perspective on Pu'er compared to teas from larger factories. Longer storage may develop the leaves even further, as a batch from 2017 can attest.