Zong Changtai 2003

For lovers of layered and refreshing Sheng Pu'er.

With the growing interest in Sheng Pu’er among tea drinkers and collectors over the past several decades, certain teas have achieved near-legendary status. This Zong Changtai from 2003, a blend of high-quality leaves based on the traditional Dayi 7542 formula, has done just that—and for good reason.

Notes of fragrant wood and sweet dates rise from the preheated brewing vessel, shifting into fruitier territory, with impressions of plums and dark berries, once the leaves are immersed in water. The viscous liquor presents an elegant bitterness reminiscent of bay leaves or Chinese bitter herbs, accompanied by notes of dry wood and blackberry. A strong camphor-like cooling sensation in the throat rounds out the experience of a layered and complex, yet surprisingly approachable, Sheng Pu’er—exactly what Changtai set out to achieve with this tea.

Written by Sven

The story of Changtai

Changtai first rose to fame with the 1999 Yi Chang Hao. In 2004, the company expanded rapidly, sourcing leaves from a much wider area and accepting certain compromises in leaf quality in order to increase production. This expansion was formalised through the restructuring of Changtai Tea Firm into the Yunnan Changtai Tea Industry Group.

For collectors, this distinction matters. Pre-2004 Changtai productions are often associated with smaller-scale prestige, while post-2004 Changtai is generally seen as more commercial, broader in sourcing, and higher in volume. This does not necessarily mean that later teas are inferior, but it does make the exact product, batch, wrapper, storage history and source far more important than the Changtai name alone.

This tea is a good example. There are three known versions of the Zong Changtai 2003, distinguished by different combinations of barcode on the wrapper and stamp on the nei fei, or inner ticket. The version offered here is the so-called “Wu Tiao Ma + Wu Tian Shu”—no barcode and no stamp—which is considered the earliest and rarest of the three.