MING FENG SHAN GU SHU LAO CHA TOU
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ WILD TEA (ORGANIC)
Ming Feng, Lincang, Yunnan, China
2022 Ming Feng Shan Gu Shu Lao Cha Tou is a ripe Pu'Er tea made from old tea tree material from the Ming Feng Shan region of Yunnan and formed into traditional Lao Cha Tou during the fermentation process. Naturally created through the accumulation and compression of tea leaves during post-fermentation, this tea reflects the combination of ancient tea material, dense structure, and deep mature character characteristic of high-quality Lao Cha Tou productions. The infusion is exceptionally smooth, thick, and richly layered, offering woody and creamy nuances, dark dried fruit and mineral notes, refined sweetness, and a long, comforting aftertaste with deep old tree character and remarkable textural richness. MORE
AROMA
Woody, nutty, caramel
TASTE
Woody, mineral, medicine
350-500 years old trees
ALTITUDE: 2100 m
PRODUCTION: Spring, 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 Ming Feng Shan Gu Shu Lao Cha Tou is a ripe Pu'Er tea produced from ancient tea tree material growing at an altitude of approximately 2100 meters above sea level in the Ming Feng Shan region of Yunnan. Harvested from tea trees estimated to be between 350 and 500 years old, this tea reflects the combination of high-mountain old tree material, dense Lao Cha Tou structure, and carefully controlled modern fermentation technology. The result is a tea with remarkable smoothness, depth, mineral concentration, and refined mature character while preserving the energetic complexity associated with ancient tea trees.
Lao Cha Tou, often translated as “old tea heads,” forms naturally during the fermentation process when tea leaves bind together into dense compact clusters under heat and moisture. Traditionally considered a byproduct of Shu Pu'Er production, high-quality Lao Cha Tou later became especially appreciated among experienced tea lovers for its unusually thick texture, smooth body, concentrated sweetness, and deep mature profile. Compared to standard loose-leaf Shu Pu'Er, well-produced Lao Cha Tou often develops greater density, longer-lasting infusions, and more pronounced textural richness.
Modern production technology played an important role in refining the quality and cleanliness of this tea. Careful control of fermentation temperature, humidity, and microbial activity allowed producers to preserve the depth and richness characteristic of traditional Lao Cha Tou while achieving greater aromatic clarity, smoother texture, and improved structural balance. Combined with ancient high-mountain tea material from Ming Feng Shan, these modern techniques created a Lao Cha Tou with exceptional integration, mature complexity, and refined old tree character.
TERROIR
Ming Feng Shan is a high-mountain tea-growing region of Yunnan known for ancient tea forests, mineral-rich mountain ecology, and highly expressive old tree tea material. Tea trees in this environment grow at elevations reaching approximately 2100 meters above sea level under cool mountain conditions shaped by dense mist, abundant rainfall, humid air, and strong day-to-night temperature variation. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s concentrated texture, deep minerality, cooling freshness, aromatic complexity, and long-lasting aftertaste.
The mountain soils of Ming Feng Shan are rich in minerals and organic matter, with stable moisture retention and excellent natural drainage. Ancient tea trees estimated to be between 350 and 500 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 structure, energetic depth, persistent sweetness, and refined old tree character characteristic of high-mountain Gu Shu tea material.
Dense forest vegetation and relatively untouched mountain ecology play an important role in shaping the identity of tea from this region. Frequent cloud cover and mountain mist moderate direct sunlight exposure, helping preserve aromatic freshness and complexity within the leaves, while cooler mountain temperatures support slow and balanced leaf development. These conditions allow ancient tea trees to produce material with exceptional concentration and structural richness highly suitable for both fermentation and long-term maturation.
The Lao Cha Tou formation process further concentrates the character of the original tea material during fermentation. As the leaves naturally bind together into dense compact clusters, the tea develops greater textural depth, concentrated sweetness, and remarkable smoothness. Combined with modern fermentation technology and ancient high-mountain material from Ming Feng Shan, these conditions created a Lao Cha Tou with exceptional density, mineral richness, mature complexity, and refined old tree character.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry Lao Cha Tou clusters are dense, compact, and heavy, displaying deep brown, dark copper, and golden tones characteristic of high-quality old tree ripe Pu'Er tea. Their appearance reflects concentrated ancient tea material, careful fermentation control, and the natural formation process unique to Lao Cha Tou production. The aroma of the dry tea is deep, warm, and highly layered, combining notes of aged wood, dark dried fruits, warm minerals, creamy sweetness, resin, forest honey, and subtle earthy nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly smooth and expressive, revealing additional layers of cocoa, roasted nuts, humid forest tones, medicinal herbs, tree bark, sweet grains, and delicate incense-like woodiness. After the rinse, the dense clusters slowly begin to open while the aromatic profile becomes highly integrated, balancing creamy softness, woody maturity, mineral depth, and refined old tree sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting concentrated material and carefully controlled fermentation. The aroma of the infusion is exceptionally dense, smooth, 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 remarkably thick, velvety, and coating, filling the palate with profound smoothness and concentrated depth while maintaining balance and clarity. 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 dark chocolate, aged wood, creamy sweetness, dried fruits, roasted nuts, sweet grains, minerals, resin, forest honey, and soft earthy nuances continue evolving throughout the session while maintaining exceptional harmony between density, smoothness, mature complexity, and old tree mountain character.
The aftertaste is extremely long, smooth, and deeply comforting, with sweet mineral and creamy sensations remaining in the throat and mouth long after drinking. As the tea continues to open, the structure becomes increasingly rounded and expansive while preserving the dense energetic foundation characteristic of ancient high-mountain Lao Cha Tou material. In the empty cup, the aroma remains warm and expressive, revealing lingering notes of dark chocolate, aged wood, forest honey, dried fruits, creamy cocoa, humid forest tones, sweet grains, medicinal herbs, and subtle resinous undertones.
