HONG KONG TEMPLE ZHUAN CHA
SPECIAL ORDER PU'ER BRICK
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ PESTICIDE-FREE
Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha is a deeply matured Shu Pu'Er tea produced as a private order during the mid-1990s and compressed into a traditional 860 g brick. Carefully aged for decades under Hong Kong storage conditions, this tea reflects the combination of old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, traditional brick compression, and profound aromatic transformation developed through long-term maturation. The infusion is exceptionally dense, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and resinous nuances, medicinal and dried fruit notes, deep mineral warmth, and a long, deeply comforting aftertaste with rare collector-level maturity and authentic old Hong Kong storage character. MORE
860 g brick
AROMA
Woody, cacao beans
TASTE
Nutty, wood
Hong Kong Traditional/Natural Storage
PRODUCTION: Mid-1990's
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ PESTICIDE-FREE
Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha is a deeply matured Shu Pu'Er tea produced as a private order during the mid-1990s and compressed into a traditional 860 g brick. Carefully aged for decades under Hong Kong storage conditions, this tea reflects the combination of old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, traditional brick compression, and profound aromatic transformation developed through long-term maturation. The infusion is exceptionally dense, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and resinous nuances, medicinal and dried fruit notes, deep mineral warmth, and a long, deeply comforting aftertaste with rare collector-level maturity and authentic old Hong Kong storage character. MORE
860 g brick
AROMA
Woody, cacao beans
TASTE
Nutty, wood
Hong Kong Traditional/Natural Storage
PRODUCTION: Mid-1990's
SHU PU'ER is a post-fermented tea produced through a controlled microbial fermentation process that transforms sun-dried tea leaves into a rich, smooth, and deeply complex beverage. As a result of this unique production method, Shu Pu'Er develops a distinctive composition of polyphenols, amino acids, minerals, beneficial microbial metabolites, and other bioactive compounds that contribute to both its characteristic flavor and traditionally valued properties.
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.
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
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
Tea absorbs surrounding aromas and moisture. This type of tea oxidizes when it comes into contact with oxygen and loses its properties, including taste and aroma. Store it in a dry and cool place in airtight packaging. Avoid direct exposure to the sun and high temperatures.
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.
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
ABOUT
1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha is a deeply matured Shu Pu'Er tea originally produced as a private order for the everyday life and internal use of one of Hong Kong’s temples during the mid-1990s. This particular tea came to us through one of our close Pu'Er collector friends, who acquired a small batch from another collector connected to the original storage history of the tea. Such temple-order teas represent a very special and relatively rare category within the world of aged Pu'Er, as they were often produced not for commercial retail but for long-term daily consumption, storage, and gradual maturation within temple environments deeply connected to traditional tea culture.
The tea underwent traditional Hong Kong storage during the early stages of its life, followed by long-term natural storage both in Hong Kong and later in Europe under careful collector-level conditions. This gradual transition between storage environments allowed the tea to preserve the deep mature warmth and aromatic integration associated with classic Hong Kong-aged Shu Pu'Er while simultaneously stabilizing and refining the profile over decades of maturation. Years of aging softened and integrated the tea while preserving its dense texture, mineral warmth, woody depth, medicinal complexity, and profound mature character.
The large traditional 860 g brick compression format also played an important role in the slow and gradual evolution of the tea over time. Dense brick compression allowed the aromatic transformation to occur progressively across decades while preserving structural depth and long-lasting energetic warmth. Combined with old-generation Shu Pu'Er production methods, collector-level storage, and the unique temple-origin history, this tea today represents a rare example of deeply matured Hong Kong-aged Shu Pu'Er with exceptional collector value and authentic old-storage atmosphere highly appreciated among experienced aged tea lovers.
TERROIR
The tea material used for 1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha originates from Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, one of the most historically important and respected terroirs in the world of Pu'Er tea. Tea gardens in this region develop under warm subtropical mountain conditions shaped by abundant rainfall, humid air, mineral-rich soils, dense forest biodiversity, and stable ecological environments highly favorable for tea cultivation. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s dense structure, mineral warmth, layered complexity, and exceptional long-term aging potential.
The mountain soils of Menghai are rich in minerals and organic matter, with stable moisture retention and excellent natural drainage. Tea plants growing in these environments develop strong root systems capable of interacting deeply with multiple soil layers accumulated through long ecological development. This mineral interaction contributes to the dense body, energetic depth, persistent sweetness, and structural concentration historically associated with Menghai tea material, especially in teas intended for long-term maturation and storage.
Traditional brick compression also played an important role in shaping the evolution of this tea over decades of aging. The large 860 g Zhuan Cha format allows the tea to mature slowly and evenly while preserving structural integrity and aromatic concentration deep within the brick. Compared to smaller or looser compressed formats, large traditional bricks often develop deeper aromatic integration, smoother texture, and more profound mature complexity over long storage periods.
The interaction between Menghai mountain material and decades of carefully managed storage became a defining part of the tea’s final character. Traditional Hong Kong storage accelerated the early stages of maturation, encouraging the development of woody, resinous, medicinal, earthy, and dried fruit characteristics associated with classic old Hong Kong Pu'Er culture. The following natural storage both in Hong Kong and Europe gradually refined and stabilized the tea further, preserving balance, smoothness, and aromatic clarity while maintaining the profound mature depth characteristic of rare collector-level aged Pu'Er teas.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are dark, mature, and tightly compressed within the large traditional 860 g brick format, displaying deep brown, black, and aged copper tones characteristic of heavily matured Hong Kong-stored Shu Pu'Er tea. Their appearance reflects old-generation production techniques, decades of careful storage, and the deep transformation developed through traditional Hong Kong aging followed by long-term natural maturation. The aroma of the dry leaf is exceptionally deep, warm, and highly integrated, combining notes of aged wood, resin, medicinal herbs, dark dried fruits, humid forest tones, warm minerals, old books, temple incense, and soft earthy nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly expressive and profoundly layered, revealing additional notes of dark cocoa, tree bark, humid storage character, roasted nuts, herbal medicine, forest honey, sweet grains, and subtle camphor-like freshness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably rounded and mature, balancing woody depth, mineral warmth, medicinal complexity, and refined sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting decades of gradual aromatic transformation and collector-level storage conditions. The aroma of the infusion is dense, smooth, and highly persistent, combining warm wood, dark chocolate-like notes, dried fruits, resinous nuances, medicinal herbs, humid forest tones, warm minerals, forest honey, and subtle earthy maturity. The texture is exceptionally dense, velvety, and coating, filling the palate with profound warmth and remarkable smoothness while maintaining structural depth and mature energetic presence characteristic of old Hong Kong-stored Shu Pu'Er. The taste is mellow and highly refined, with almost no roughness, gradually developing into pronounced mineral sweetness and long-lasting warming sensations throughout the mouth and throat. Layers of aged wood, dark cocoa, dried fruits, roasted nuts, sweet grains, resin, forest honey, medicinal herbs, humid earth, temple incense, and soft camphor-like nuances continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between maturity, smoothness, depth, and authentic old-storage character.
The aftertaste is extremely long, warm, and deeply comforting, with sweet mineral, woody, and herbal sensations remaining in the throat and mouth long after drinking. As the tea continues to open, the structure becomes increasingly rounded and integrated while preserving the profound mature foundation and collector-level aged complexity developed through decades of careful storage. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and highly expressive, revealing lingering notes of aged wood, dark honey, cocoa, dried fruits, humid forest tones, medicinal herbs, resin, temple incense, old books, and subtle camphor undertones.
1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha is a deeply matured Shu Pu'Er tea originally produced as a private order for the everyday life and internal use of one of Hong Kong’s temples during the mid-1990s. This particular tea came to us through one of our close Pu'Er collector friends, who acquired a small batch from another collector connected to the original storage history of the tea. Such temple-order teas represent a very special and relatively rare category within the world of aged Pu'Er, as they were often produced not for commercial retail but for long-term daily consumption, storage, and gradual maturation within temple environments deeply connected to traditional tea culture.
The tea underwent traditional Hong Kong storage during the early stages of its life, followed by long-term natural storage both in Hong Kong and later in Europe under careful collector-level conditions. This gradual transition between storage environments allowed the tea to preserve the deep mature warmth and aromatic integration associated with classic Hong Kong-aged Shu Pu'Er while simultaneously stabilizing and refining the profile over decades of maturation. Years of aging softened and integrated the tea while preserving its dense texture, mineral warmth, woody depth, medicinal complexity, and profound mature character.
The large traditional 860 g brick compression format also played an important role in the slow and gradual evolution of the tea over time. Dense brick compression allowed the aromatic transformation to occur progressively across decades while preserving structural depth and long-lasting energetic warmth. Combined with old-generation Shu Pu'Er production methods, collector-level storage, and the unique temple-origin history, this tea today represents a rare example of deeply matured Hong Kong-aged Shu Pu'Er with exceptional collector value and authentic old-storage atmosphere highly appreciated among experienced aged tea lovers.
TERROIR
The tea material used for 1990’s Hong Kong Temple Zhuan Cha originates from Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, one of the most historically important and respected terroirs in the world of Pu'Er tea. Tea gardens in this region develop under warm subtropical mountain conditions shaped by abundant rainfall, humid air, mineral-rich soils, dense forest biodiversity, and stable ecological environments highly favorable for tea cultivation. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s dense structure, mineral warmth, layered complexity, and exceptional long-term aging potential.
The mountain soils of Menghai are rich in minerals and organic matter, with stable moisture retention and excellent natural drainage. Tea plants growing in these environments develop strong root systems capable of interacting deeply with multiple soil layers accumulated through long ecological development. This mineral interaction contributes to the dense body, energetic depth, persistent sweetness, and structural concentration historically associated with Menghai tea material, especially in teas intended for long-term maturation and storage.
Traditional brick compression also played an important role in shaping the evolution of this tea over decades of aging. The large 860 g Zhuan Cha format allows the tea to mature slowly and evenly while preserving structural integrity and aromatic concentration deep within the brick. Compared to smaller or looser compressed formats, large traditional bricks often develop deeper aromatic integration, smoother texture, and more profound mature complexity over long storage periods.
The interaction between Menghai mountain material and decades of carefully managed storage became a defining part of the tea’s final character. Traditional Hong Kong storage accelerated the early stages of maturation, encouraging the development of woody, resinous, medicinal, earthy, and dried fruit characteristics associated with classic old Hong Kong Pu'Er culture. The following natural storage both in Hong Kong and Europe gradually refined and stabilized the tea further, preserving balance, smoothness, and aromatic clarity while maintaining the profound mature depth characteristic of rare collector-level aged Pu'Er teas.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are dark, mature, and tightly compressed within the large traditional 860 g brick format, displaying deep brown, black, and aged copper tones characteristic of heavily matured Hong Kong-stored Shu Pu'Er tea. Their appearance reflects old-generation production techniques, decades of careful storage, and the deep transformation developed through traditional Hong Kong aging followed by long-term natural maturation. The aroma of the dry leaf is exceptionally deep, warm, and highly integrated, combining notes of aged wood, resin, medicinal herbs, dark dried fruits, humid forest tones, warm minerals, old books, temple incense, and soft earthy nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly expressive and profoundly layered, revealing additional notes of dark cocoa, tree bark, humid storage character, roasted nuts, herbal medicine, forest honey, sweet grains, and subtle camphor-like freshness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably rounded and mature, balancing woody depth, mineral warmth, medicinal complexity, and refined sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting decades of gradual aromatic transformation and collector-level storage conditions. The aroma of the infusion is dense, smooth, and highly persistent, combining warm wood, dark chocolate-like notes, dried fruits, resinous nuances, medicinal herbs, humid forest tones, warm minerals, forest honey, and subtle earthy maturity. The texture is exceptionally dense, velvety, and coating, filling the palate with profound warmth and remarkable smoothness while maintaining structural depth and mature energetic presence characteristic of old Hong Kong-stored Shu Pu'Er. The taste is mellow and highly refined, with almost no roughness, gradually developing into pronounced mineral sweetness and long-lasting warming sensations throughout the mouth and throat. Layers of aged wood, dark cocoa, dried fruits, roasted nuts, sweet grains, resin, forest honey, medicinal herbs, humid earth, temple incense, and soft camphor-like nuances continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between maturity, smoothness, depth, and authentic old-storage character.
The aftertaste is extremely long, warm, and deeply comforting, with sweet mineral, woody, and herbal sensations remaining in the throat and mouth long after drinking. As the tea continues to open, the structure becomes increasingly rounded and integrated while preserving the profound mature foundation and collector-level aged complexity developed through decades of careful storage. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and highly expressive, revealing lingering notes of aged wood, dark honey, cocoa, dried fruits, humid forest tones, medicinal herbs, resin, temple incense, old books, and subtle camphor undertones.
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
Explore more Shu (Ripe) Pu'Er from AN SHIM TEA Collection.