GU SHU DA YE SHU CHA
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ PESTICIDE-FREE
Ming Feng, Lincang, Yunnan, China
2022 Gu Shu Da Ye Shu Cha is a ripe Pu'Er tea produced from ancient tea tree material. Carefully fermented using modern Shu Pu'Er techniques, this tea reflects the combination of old tree material, powerful mountain character, and the naturally deep structure associated with large-leaf tea cultivars. The infusion is dense, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and creamy nuances, dark chocolate and dried fruit notes, mineral sweetness, and a long, warming aftertaste with remarkable depth, richness, and old tree complexity. MORE
AROMA
Dried wood
TASTE
Earthy, woody, nutty
350-500 years old trees
PRODUCTION: 2022
The fermentation process significantly alters the chemical composition of the tea, creating a mellow infusion with reduced bitterness and astringency, a smooth texture, and earthy, woody, and sweet aromatic notes. It is believed that regular consumption of Shu Pu'Er may support digestive health, contribute to healthy cholesterol metabolism, promote the balance of beneficial intestinal microflora, and assist the body's natural antioxidant defenses. Traditionally, Shu Pu'Er has also been appreciated for its warming and grounding nature, its ability to aid digestion after meals, reduce feelings of heaviness and fatigue, and create a calm, stable, and balanced state of physical and mental well-being.
Learn more about the BIOCHEMISTRY OF A TEA LEAF
SEED-GROWN TEA PLANT
This tea refers to a Qunzi Zhong, a "seed-grown tea plant". Unlike cloned or asexually propagated cultivars, which are created by cuttings or grafting from a single "mother" plant, Qunzi Zhong tea trees are grown from seeds. This results in a genetically diverse population of plants. Each seed-grown tea tree is unique, with slightly different characteristics. This genetic variety helps improve the resilience of the tea garden, making it more resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental stress. Seed-grown trees usually develop stronger and deeper roots than cloned plants, allowing them to draw nutrients and minerals from deeper soil layers, often giving the tea a more complex and rich flavor profile. Qunzi Zhong represents the traditional way of tea cultivation. Because of the genetic diversity, teas made from Qunzi Zhong plants tend to offer more layered and nuanced flavors, reflecting a richer expression of the local terroir (soil, climate, and environment).
WILD TEA
Wild tea refers to plants that grow naturally in the forest or mountains without human planting, pruning, or care. These trees are very old, deeply rooted in the earth, and part of a diverse natural ecosystem. These are tall, old trees, some more than 100, 300, or even 1000+ years old, rooted deep into mineral-rich soil, thriving in diverse ecosystems. Wild tea trees grow tall and strong, with roots reaching deep into the earth. This allows them to absorb various minerals, creating complex, full-bodied flavors that change with each harvest. Growing in remote forests, these trees are untouched by pesticides or fertilizers. Many tea lovers say wild teas carry a unique energy, a grounding, calming, and sometimes uplifting presence. This is believed to be the "Qi" of the mountains, the life force of ancient trees, passed into the leaves. Wild tea is often high in antioxidants, polyphenols, and minerals. Because these trees grow slowly and absorb nutrients naturally, their leaves produce clean, nourishing brews that are gentle on the body but rich in effect.
Learn more about Pesticide-Free Gardening
EASTERN (PIN CHA) ★
Temperature: 100 °C
Amount: 3-5 grams per 120 ml of water
Steeping: 10-30 sec x 7+
WESTERN (INFUSION)
Temperature: 100 °C
Amount: 2-3 grams per 250 ml of water
Steeping: 1-2 min x 3
Learn more about TEA BREWING METHODS
BEST BEFORE: 2 years since production date!
*Suitable for long-term aging. Under proper storage conditions, the tea may gradually develop increased depth, smoothness, and complexity.
Learn more ABOUT TEA STORAGE
2022 Gu Shu Da Ye Shu Cha is a high-quality ripe Pu'Er tea produced from ancient tea tree material harvested from trees estimated to be more than 350 years old. The name Da Ye translates as “large leaf” and refers to the large-leaf tea cultivars traditionally used throughout Yunnan for the production of Pu'Er tea. These cultivars are highly valued for their ability to accumulate greater concentrations of aromatic compounds, polyphenols, amino acids, and other substances that contribute to the depth, structure, and aging potential of the finished tea.
Large-leaf tea varieties have played a central role in the development of Pu'Er tea for centuries. Compared to smaller-leaf cultivars, Da Ye Zhong material is generally appreciated for producing teas with greater body, stronger mineral character, richer texture, and more pronounced aromatic complexity. When combined with ancient tea tree material, these characteristics become even more expressive, creating infusions with remarkable depth, persistence, and structural concentration.
The ancient trees used for this tea developed within mountain ecosystems for centuries, allowing extensive root systems to interact deeply with mineral-rich soils and complex forest environments. Careful modern Shu Pu'Er processing transformed this highly concentrated raw material into a tea that preserves the richness and energetic depth of old tree leaves while developing the smoothness, comfort, and maturity associated with ripe Pu'Er. The result is a tea that combines powerful old tree character with exceptional drinkability, making it an outstanding example of contemporary high-end Shu Pu'Er production.
TERROIR
Ming Feng Shan is a high-mountain tea-growing region in Lincang, Yunnan, known for its ancient tea forests, rich biodiversity, and exceptional old tree tea material. Tea trees in this area develop under cool mountain conditions shaped by abundant rainfall, frequent mist, humid air, and significant day-to-night temperature variation. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s aromatic intensity, mineral concentration, structural depth, and long-lasting sweetness.
The mountain soils of Ming Feng Shan are rich in minerals and organic matter, with excellent natural drainage and stable moisture retention. Ancient tea trees estimated to be more than 350 years old develop extensive root systems capable of penetrating deeply into the mountain terrain and interacting with multiple soil layers accumulated through centuries of ecological development. This deep mineral interaction contributes to the dense body, layered complexity, energetic depth, and persistent aftertaste characteristic of high-quality Gu Shu tea material from the region.
The Da Ye Zhong cultivar traditionally grown in this area is particularly well suited to the mountain environment of Lincang. Its large leaves are capable of accumulating high concentrations of aromatic compounds, amino acids, polyphenols, and other substances that contribute to the richness and structural concentration of the finished tea. When harvested from ancient trees, this material develops exceptional depth and complexity while preserving the smoothness and balance that distinguish high-quality old tree teas.
Ming Feng Shan has become increasingly respected among producers of premium Shu Pu'Er due to the ability of its ancient tea material to retain its mountain character even after fermentation. During the fermentation process, the concentrated large-leaf material develops deeper woody, creamy, chocolate-like, mineral, and dried fruit characteristics while preserving the structural foundation created by the mountain terroir. The result is a ripe Pu'Er that combines the comfort and smoothness of Shu tea with the complexity, energy, and depth associated with ancient high-mountain tea forests.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are large, robust, and beautifully preserved, displaying deep brown, dark copper, and golden tones characteristic of high-quality Gu Shu Da Ye Shu Pu'Er material. Their appearance reflects the large-leaf nature of the Da Ye Zhong cultivar, careful fermentation, and the concentrated character of ancient tea tree leaves. The aroma of the dry leaf is deep, warm, and highly expressive, combining notes of aged wood, dark chocolate, dried fruits, warm minerals, forest honey, resin, sweet grains, and subtle earthy nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly rich and layered, revealing additional notes of cocoa, roasted nuts, humid forest tones, tree bark, creamy sweetness, medicinal herbs, dried dates, and delicate incense-like woodiness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably integrated, balancing woody depth, creamy softness, mineral warmth, and refined old tree sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting careful modern Shu Pu'Er processing. The aroma of the infusion is dense, velvety, and highly persistent, combining warm wood, creamy chocolate-like notes, dark dried fruits, sweet grains, warm minerals, resinous nuances, forest honey, and subtle herbal complexity. The texture is exceptionally thick, smooth, and coating, filling the palate with remarkable richness and structural depth while maintaining balance and clarity throughout the session. The taste is mellow yet highly concentrated, gradually developing into pronounced mineral sweetness and long-lasting warming sensations throughout the mouth and throat. Layers of dark chocolate, aged wood, dried fruits, roasted nuts, sweet grains, minerals, resin, forest honey, medicinal herbs, creamy cocoa, and subtle humid forest tones continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between power, smoothness, aromatic richness, and old tree complexity.
The aftertaste is long, warm, and deeply satisfying, with sweet mineral, creamy, and woody sensations remaining in the throat and mouth long after drinking. As the tea continues to open, the structure becomes increasingly expansive and layered while preserving the deep mountain foundation characteristic of ancient large-leaf tea material. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and highly expressive, revealing lingering notes of dark chocolate, aged wood, forest honey, dried fruits, creamy cocoa, medicinal herbs, resin, sweet grains, and subtle incense-like undertones.
