MING FENG SHAN GU SHU FANG CHA
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ WILD TEA (ORGANIC)
Ming Feng, Lincang, Yunnan, China
2022 Ming Feng Shan Gu Shu Fang Cha is a ripe Pu'Er tea produced from ancient tea tree material from the high mountains of Ming Feng Shan and traditionally compressed into a 250 g square brick. Carefully fermented and crafted from old tree leaves, this tea reflects the combination of high-mountain terroir, modern Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, and the concentrated character associated with ancient tea material. The infusion is dense, smooth, and richly layered, offering woody and creamy nuances, dark chocolate and dried fruit notes, mineral sweetness, and a long, comforting aftertaste with refined old tree depth and remarkable textural richness. MORE
AROMA
Woody, nutty, caramel
TASTE
Woody, mineral, medicine
350+ 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 Fang Cha is a ripe Pu'Er tea produced from ancient tea tree material growing in the high mountains of Ming Feng Shan, Lincang, Yunnan. Harvested from tea trees estimated to be more than 350 years old at elevations reaching approximately 2100 meters above sea level, this tea reflects the combination of ancient mountain material, modern Shu Pu'Er craftsmanship, and the unique ecological conditions of one of Yunnan’s remarkable high-altitude tea regions. Pressed into traditional 250 g square bricks, the tea combines excellent aging potential with convenient storage and preparation.
The use of ancient tea tree material plays a defining role in shaping the character of this tea. Old trees growing for centuries in relatively undisturbed mountain environments develop extensive root systems capable of interacting deeply with mineral-rich soils and complex forest ecosystems. Compared to younger plantation material, ancient tea trees are traditionally appreciated for producing infusions with greater depth, richer texture, stronger energetic character, and more persistent aromatic development throughout the brewing session.
One of the most distinctive features of this tea is the balance between aromatic intensity, smooth texture, and structural depth. Despite its youth, the tea already demonstrates remarkable integration, producing an infusion that is highly aromatic, exceptionally smooth, and deeply layered without excessive heaviness. The combination of high-mountain old tree material, careful modern fermentation, and precise production techniques creates a Shu Pu'Er that is both immediately enjoyable and capable of further transformation through future aging.
TERROIR
Ming Feng Shan is a high-mountain tea-growing region in Lincang, Yunnan, known for ancient tea forests, 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 significant day-to-night temperature variation. These environmental conditions contribute directly to the tea’s aromatic intensity, mineral concentration, layered complexity, and long-lasting sweetness.
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 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 structure, persistent sweetness, energetic depth, and refined complexity 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 while maintaining remarkable smoothness and aromatic elegance.
The combination of high-altitude mountain conditions, ancient tea tree material, and modern fermentation techniques creates a distinctive expression of ripe Pu'Er tea. While the fermentation process transforms the leaves into Shu Pu'Er, the underlying mountain character remains clearly visible through the tea’s mineral depth, aromatic intensity, layered texture, and long-lasting aftertaste. The result is a tea that combines the richness and comfort of ripe Pu'Er with the complexity and energetic depth of ancient high-mountain tea forests.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves are dark, mature, and tightly compressed into a traditional square brick, displaying deep brown, copper, and golden tones characteristic of high-quality old tree Shu Pu'Er tea. Their appearance reflects careful fermentation, ancient tea tree material, and the dense structure associated with high-mountain Gu Shu productions. The aroma of the dry leaf is exceptionally fragrant, warm, and expressive, combining notes of dark chocolate, aged wood, dried fruits, forest honey, warm minerals, resin, and subtle earthy nuances. In a preheated gaiwan or teapot, the aroma becomes increasingly rich and complex, revealing additional layers of cocoa, roasted nuts, sweet grains, humid forest tones, medicinal herbs, tree bark, creamy sweetness, and delicate incense-like woodiness. After the rinse, the leaves fully awaken and the aromatic profile becomes remarkably integrated, balancing creamy softness, woody depth, mineral warmth, and refined old tree sweetness.
The liquor is clear and bright, with a deep ruby-brown tone reflecting careful modern fermentation and concentrated ancient tea material. 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 smooth, thick, and coating, filling the palate with remarkable richness while maintaining clarity and balance throughout the session. 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 aromatic intensity, smoothness, depth, and old tree mountain character.
The aftertaste is 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 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, humid forest tones, sweet grains, medicinal herbs, and subtle resinous undertones.
