Spring 2014 Kunlu Mountain Small Arbor Tree Sheng / Raw Puerh 100g Cake

Kunlu Shan Small Arbor Tree

'Xiao Qiao Mu' ( 困鹿山 '小乔木' )

In the Spring of 2014 my wife and I spent 3 months in Yunnan, China; the home of puerh tea. We walked the Ancient Tea Horse Road, we explored the tea markets, and we visited 6 unique tea mountains. In each of these mountains live traditional minority tea farmers whose families have worked the land cultivating puerh tea for countless generations. This tea was entirely hand picked and hand processed. This tea reflects both the unique regional terroir, and the individual skill of the farmer who is responsible for turning raw leaf into puerh tea. 

The tea from Kunlu Shan ( pronounced 'coon loo shah-n' ) was so highly prized in the Qing Dynasty that the Chinese Emperor quartered a portion of his army here to ensure his tribute. In Spring, Kunlu Shan is dry, dusty, and littered with scrub pine. The terroir is remarkably similar to the Alpine climate of the Eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. The farmers we work with take great pride in their tea.

This cake was processed with younger trees the farmers called 'Xiao Qiao Mu' ( this means 'small arbor tree' and is pronounced 'shao chow moo' ). They also have a number of larger and older trees they call Gu Shu ( 'ancient tree' ). Market prices put those trees out of our price range.

• Prefecture: Pu'er
• Village: #10
• Tree Age: under 100 years old
• Elevation: 1644m

Brewing Instructions

Add 6 ounces of boiling water to 5 grams of leaf. Rinse once for 3 seconds. Steep quickly for 6 seconds. This tea is generous and can be resteeped many times. Add 10-15 seconds each re-steep.