MENGHAI LAO ZHUAN CHA
MENGHAI OLD RIPE PU'ER BRICK
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
1992 Menghai Lao Zhuan Cha is a rare aged Shu Pu'Er tea produced in Menghai and compressed into a traditional 250 g brick more than three decades ago. Naturally matured over decades, this tea reflects the combination of old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, classic Menghai tea material, and profound aromatic transformation developed through long-term aging. The infusion is exceptionally deep, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and resinous nuances, medicinal and dried fruit notes, pronounced mineral warmth, and a long, comforting aftertaste with remarkable maturity, collector-level depth, and authentic old tea character. MORE
236 g brick
AROMA
Woody
TASTE
Woody, nutty
HARVEST: 1992
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
1992 Menghai Lao Zhuan Cha is a rare aged Shu Pu'Er tea produced in Menghai and compressed into a traditional 250 g brick more than three decades ago. Naturally matured over decades, this tea reflects the combination of old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, classic Menghai tea material, and profound aromatic transformation developed through long-term aging. The infusion is exceptionally deep, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and resinous nuances, medicinal and dried fruit notes, pronounced mineral warmth, and a long, comforting aftertaste with remarkable maturity, collector-level depth, and authentic old tea character. MORE
236 g brick
AROMA
Woody
TASTE
Woody, nutty
HARVEST: 1992
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
1992 Menghai Lao Zhuan Cha is a rare aged Shu Pu'Er tea originally produced as a private order for a Taiwanese collector and carefully matured for more than three decades. Unlike commercial factory productions created for the broader market, this tea was produced with long-term aging in mind and remained within a private collection, where it underwent continuous natural storage in Taiwan until 2024. The combination of private-order origins, old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, and exceptional storage history created a tea with remarkable maturity, aromatic integration, and collector-level depth.
Private-order Pu'Er teas from the early 1990s represent a particularly interesting chapter in the history of aged tea collecting. During this period, experienced Taiwanese collectors were already actively exploring the aging potential of Pu'Er tea and often commissioned small productions intended specifically for long-term storage rather than immediate consumption. These teas were frequently selected for their structural depth, aging capacity, and ability to develop complexity over decades of maturation, making surviving examples increasingly rare today.
Taiwan natural storage played a defining role in shaping the final character of this tea. Compared to more humid storage environments, Taiwanese natural storage often promotes a slower and highly balanced maturation process, allowing the tea to gradually develop woody, resinous, medicinal, dried fruit, and mineral characteristics while preserving clarity, sweetness, and structural definition. Over more than thirty years of careful aging, the tea evolved into a deeply integrated and refined expression of mature Shu Pu'Er, offering a rare opportunity to experience the results of long-term collector-level storage and patience.
TERROIR
Menghai is one of the most important tea-producing regions in Yunnan and is widely regarded as one of the historical centers of Pu'Er tea production. Tea gardens in this area develop under warm subtropical mountain conditions shaped by abundant rainfall, humid air, mineral-rich soils, and dense forest biodiversity. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s dense texture, pronounced minerality, energetic depth, 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 concentrated body, layered complexity, persistent sweetness, and structural depth that have made Menghai tea material especially valued for both Shu and Sheng Pu'Er production.
The climatic conditions of Menghai support the development of tea leaves with remarkable balance between aromatic richness, structural concentration, and aging capacity. Frequent mountain mist, stable humidity, and dense surrounding vegetation help preserve aromatic complexity and mineral concentration within the leaves while supporting slow and healthy growth. These characteristics create tea material capable of undergoing both fermentation and decades of maturation while maintaining balance and structural integrity.
An equally important part of this tea’s terroir expression comes from its long storage history in Taiwan. More than thirty years of natural storage gradually transformed the original Menghai material, allowing woody, resinous, medicinal, dried fruit, and mineral characteristics to emerge while preserving clarity and elegance. The interaction between the powerful mountain foundation of Menghai and the slow, balanced maturation conditions of Taiwan natural storage created a rare expression of aged Shu Pu'Er with exceptional depth, refinement, and collector-level maturity.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are dark, mature, and tightly compressed, displaying deep brown, dark copper, and aged earthy tones characteristic of a Shu Pu'Er that has undergone more than three decades of careful maturation. Their appearance reflects old-generation production methods, long-term natural storage, and the gradual aromatic integration developed over time. The aroma of the dry leaf is exceptionally deep, warm, and highly refined, combining notes of aged wood, resin, dark dried fruits, medicinal herbs, warm minerals, forest honey, old books, and subtle camphor nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly expressive and complex, revealing additional layers of cocoa, incense wood, tree bark, humid forest tones, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, dried dates, and delicate medicinal sweetness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably rounded and mature, balancing woody depth, mineral warmth, resinous complexity, and refined sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting decades of gradual natural transformation. The aroma of the infusion is dense, smooth, and highly persistent, combining aged wood, dark chocolate-like notes, dried fruits, medicinal herbs, warm minerals, resinous nuances, forest honey, and subtle camphor freshness. The texture is exceptionally dense, velvety, and coating, filling the palate with profound smoothness and remarkable structural depth while maintaining clarity and elegance. The taste is mellow and highly refined, with virtually no roughness, gradually developing into pronounced mineral sweetness and long-lasting warming sensations throughout the mouth and throat. Layers of aged wood, dark cocoa, resin, dried dates, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, minerals, forest honey, medicinal roots, incense-like nuances, and subtle humid forest tones continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between maturity, depth, smoothness, and old tea 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 powerful Menghai foundation and elegant maturity developed through more than thirty years of Taiwan natural storage. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and highly expressive, revealing lingering notes of aged wood, dark honey, cocoa, dried fruits, medicinal herbs, camphor, resin, old books, and subtle forest undertones.
1992 Menghai Lao Zhuan Cha is a rare aged Shu Pu'Er tea originally produced as a private order for a Taiwanese collector and carefully matured for more than three decades. Unlike commercial factory productions created for the broader market, this tea was produced with long-term aging in mind and remained within a private collection, where it underwent continuous natural storage in Taiwan until 2024. The combination of private-order origins, old-generation Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, and exceptional storage history created a tea with remarkable maturity, aromatic integration, and collector-level depth.
Private-order Pu'Er teas from the early 1990s represent a particularly interesting chapter in the history of aged tea collecting. During this period, experienced Taiwanese collectors were already actively exploring the aging potential of Pu'Er tea and often commissioned small productions intended specifically for long-term storage rather than immediate consumption. These teas were frequently selected for their structural depth, aging capacity, and ability to develop complexity over decades of maturation, making surviving examples increasingly rare today.
Taiwan natural storage played a defining role in shaping the final character of this tea. Compared to more humid storage environments, Taiwanese natural storage often promotes a slower and highly balanced maturation process, allowing the tea to gradually develop woody, resinous, medicinal, dried fruit, and mineral characteristics while preserving clarity, sweetness, and structural definition. Over more than thirty years of careful aging, the tea evolved into a deeply integrated and refined expression of mature Shu Pu'Er, offering a rare opportunity to experience the results of long-term collector-level storage and patience.
TERROIR
Menghai is one of the most important tea-producing regions in Yunnan and is widely regarded as one of the historical centers of Pu'Er tea production. Tea gardens in this area develop under warm subtropical mountain conditions shaped by abundant rainfall, humid air, mineral-rich soils, and dense forest biodiversity. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s dense texture, pronounced minerality, energetic depth, 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 concentrated body, layered complexity, persistent sweetness, and structural depth that have made Menghai tea material especially valued for both Shu and Sheng Pu'Er production.
The climatic conditions of Menghai support the development of tea leaves with remarkable balance between aromatic richness, structural concentration, and aging capacity. Frequent mountain mist, stable humidity, and dense surrounding vegetation help preserve aromatic complexity and mineral concentration within the leaves while supporting slow and healthy growth. These characteristics create tea material capable of undergoing both fermentation and decades of maturation while maintaining balance and structural integrity.
An equally important part of this tea’s terroir expression comes from its long storage history in Taiwan. More than thirty years of natural storage gradually transformed the original Menghai material, allowing woody, resinous, medicinal, dried fruit, and mineral characteristics to emerge while preserving clarity and elegance. The interaction between the powerful mountain foundation of Menghai and the slow, balanced maturation conditions of Taiwan natural storage created a rare expression of aged Shu Pu'Er with exceptional depth, refinement, and collector-level maturity.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are dark, mature, and tightly compressed, displaying deep brown, dark copper, and aged earthy tones characteristic of a Shu Pu'Er that has undergone more than three decades of careful maturation. Their appearance reflects old-generation production methods, long-term natural storage, and the gradual aromatic integration developed over time. The aroma of the dry leaf is exceptionally deep, warm, and highly refined, combining notes of aged wood, resin, dark dried fruits, medicinal herbs, warm minerals, forest honey, old books, and subtle camphor nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly expressive and complex, revealing additional layers of cocoa, incense wood, tree bark, humid forest tones, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, dried dates, and delicate medicinal sweetness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably rounded and mature, balancing woody depth, mineral warmth, resinous complexity, and refined sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting decades of gradual natural transformation. The aroma of the infusion is dense, smooth, and highly persistent, combining aged wood, dark chocolate-like notes, dried fruits, medicinal herbs, warm minerals, resinous nuances, forest honey, and subtle camphor freshness. The texture is exceptionally dense, velvety, and coating, filling the palate with profound smoothness and remarkable structural depth while maintaining clarity and elegance. The taste is mellow and highly refined, with virtually no roughness, gradually developing into pronounced mineral sweetness and long-lasting warming sensations throughout the mouth and throat. Layers of aged wood, dark cocoa, resin, dried dates, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, minerals, forest honey, medicinal roots, incense-like nuances, and subtle humid forest tones continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between maturity, depth, smoothness, and old tea 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 powerful Menghai foundation and elegant maturity developed through more than thirty years of Taiwan natural storage. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and highly expressive, revealing lingering notes of aged wood, dark honey, cocoa, dried fruits, medicinal herbs, camphor, resin, old books, and subtle forest undertones.
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
Explore more Shu (Ripe) Pu'Er from AN SHIM TEA Collection.