CHEN PI SHU CHA
SHU PU'ER & AGED CITRUS PEEL
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ PESTICIDE-FREE
Hà Giàng, Vietnam
This tea unites naturally aged 2012 Shu Pu’Er from northern Vietnam’s old trees with the exquisite citrus notes of wild high-mountain mandarins harvested in 2024. Created as our tribute to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this blend combines clean, high-quality ingredients selected for both their character and aging potential. Deep, velvety, and aromatic, it combines the warmth of matured tea with the gentle brightness of natural citrus. MORE
AROMA
Citrus, woody
TASTE
Citrus, fruity, woody
TEA HARVEST: 2012
PRODUCTION: 2024
SHU (RIPE) PU'ER
★ PESTICIDE-FREE
Hà Giàng, Vietnam
This tea unites naturally aged 2012 Shu Pu’Er from northern Vietnam’s old trees with the exquisite citrus notes of wild high-mountain mandarins harvested in 2024. Created as our tribute to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this blend combines clean, high-quality ingredients selected for both their character and aging potential. Deep, velvety, and aromatic, it combines the warmth of matured tea with the gentle brightness of natural citrus. MORE
AROMA
Citrus, woody
TASTE
Citrus, fruity, woody
TEA HARVEST: 2012
PRODUCTION: 2024
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
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
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
CHEN PI SHU CHA - SHU PU'ER & AGED CITRUS PEEL
ABOUT
For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine has valued the thoughtful combination of carefully selected natural ingredients, where each component contributes its own unique qualities to create a balanced whole. Chen Pi - naturally aged citrus peel - has been appreciated for generations alongside tea for both its remarkable aroma and its traditional role in Chinese wellness culture. Inspired by this philosophy, we created our own interpretation using only clean, high-quality ingredients, carefully selected and fully controlled from sourcing to aging to ensure exceptional quality and long-term maturation.
CHEN PI SHU CHA brings together two remarkable treasures of Northern Vietnam: naturally aged Shu Pu'Er and wild mountain mandarins. The base tea was produced in 2012 from the leaves of ancient tea trees growing high in the mountains of Hà Giàng Province, where mist, abundant rainfall, and mineral-rich soils create ideal conditions for producing exceptional tea. More than twelve years of natural storage have gradually transformed the tea, softening its texture while developing remarkable depth, sweetness, warmth, and a calm, grounding character.
In 2024, this mature Shu Pu'Er was carefully placed inside whole wild mandarins harvested from natural mountain groves specifically for our project. Each fruit was hollowed by hand, filled with the aged tea, and slowly dried using traditional low-temperature methods. Throughout this process, the citrus peel gradually releases its essential oils and aromatic compounds, allowing them to naturally integrate with the tea while preserving the integrity of both ingredients.
TERROIR
Hà Giàng Province, located in the far north of Vietnam along the border with China, is one of the country's most important tea-producing regions and home to some of Southeast Asia's oldest tea trees. The region's high elevations, ranging from 1,000 to over 2,000 meters above sea level, combined with frequent mountain mists, abundant rainfall, rich soils, and significant day-to-night temperature fluctuations, create ideal conditions for producing teas of exceptional complexity, sweetness, minerality, and aging potential.
Hà Giàng is particularly famous for its Shan Tuyết tea trees, a unique Vietnamese tea variety often referred to as "Snow Mountain Tea." Many of these ancient trees grow naturally in remote mountain forests, where their deep root systems absorb nutrients and minerals from multiple geological layers. Harvested by local ethnic minority communities using traditional methods, Shan Tuyết teas are celebrated for their floral aromas, honey-like sweetness, rich texture, vibrant mountain character, and long-lasting aftertaste, making Hà Giàng one of the most respected tea terroirs in Vietnam.
ORGANOLEPTICS
CHEN PI SHU CHA offers a versatile tea experience, allowing the drinker to explore different expressions of the blend. It can be brewed as a whole mandarin, gradually opening over multiple infusions, or gently broken apart and prepared as loose tea. The citrus peel may be brewed together with the tea for a fuller aromatic profile or partially removed to adjust the balance between the mature Shu Pu'Er and the vibrant citrus character according to personal preference.
The dry tea presents an impressive appearance, with the aged Shu Pu'Er enclosed within a naturally dried wild mountain mandarin. The aroma is deep, rich, and inviting, combining notes of aged citrus peel, forest honey, cedar wood, dark chocolate, dried orange, sweet spices, medicinal herbs, and earthy Shu Pu'Er. When warmed in a preheated teapot or gaiwan, the fragrance becomes exceptionally expressive, revealing additional layers of caramel, sandalwood, camphor, dried dates, cocoa, warm citrus oils, and subtle balsamic nuances.
The liquor is bright, clear, and deep amber-red in color. The aroma of the infusion is rich and harmonious, beautifully integrating the mature character of aged Shu Pu'Er with the refreshing elegance of Chen Pi. The texture is thick, smooth, and velvety, coating the palate with remarkable softness. The taste opens with notes of forest honey, aged wood, dark cocoa, and creamy earthiness before gradually unfolding into sweet mandarin peel, dried orange, herbs, warm spices, dried fruits, and delicate mineral sweetness. The citrus never dominates the tea but instead lifts and brightens the mature Shu Pu'Er, creating a beautifully balanced and layered profile that continues to evolve throughout the session.
The aftertaste is long, clean, and comforting. Lingering notes of sweet citrus peel, honey, medicinal herbs, aged wood, and gentle mineral sweetness remain on the palate long after each sip. A pleasant warming sensation gradually develops, while the natural freshness of the citrus creates an elegant contrast to the tea's deep, grounding character. With each infusion, new aromatic layers emerge as the mandarin slowly releases its essential oils, making every brewing session slightly different. Whether prepared whole or separated into tea and peel, CHEN PI SHU CHA offers a refined, evolving, and deeply satisfying experience that beautifully reflects the harmony between aged Shu Pu'Er and traditional Chen Pi. This tea has warming properties and is ideal for the colder winter months.
For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine has valued the thoughtful combination of carefully selected natural ingredients, where each component contributes its own unique qualities to create a balanced whole. Chen Pi - naturally aged citrus peel - has been appreciated for generations alongside tea for both its remarkable aroma and its traditional role in Chinese wellness culture. Inspired by this philosophy, we created our own interpretation using only clean, high-quality ingredients, carefully selected and fully controlled from sourcing to aging to ensure exceptional quality and long-term maturation.
CHEN PI SHU CHA brings together two remarkable treasures of Northern Vietnam: naturally aged Shu Pu'Er and wild mountain mandarins. The base tea was produced in 2012 from the leaves of ancient tea trees growing high in the mountains of Hà Giàng Province, where mist, abundant rainfall, and mineral-rich soils create ideal conditions for producing exceptional tea. More than twelve years of natural storage have gradually transformed the tea, softening its texture while developing remarkable depth, sweetness, warmth, and a calm, grounding character.
In 2024, this mature Shu Pu'Er was carefully placed inside whole wild mandarins harvested from natural mountain groves specifically for our project. Each fruit was hollowed by hand, filled with the aged tea, and slowly dried using traditional low-temperature methods. Throughout this process, the citrus peel gradually releases its essential oils and aromatic compounds, allowing them to naturally integrate with the tea while preserving the integrity of both ingredients.
TERROIR
Hà Giàng Province, located in the far north of Vietnam along the border with China, is one of the country's most important tea-producing regions and home to some of Southeast Asia's oldest tea trees. The region's high elevations, ranging from 1,000 to over 2,000 meters above sea level, combined with frequent mountain mists, abundant rainfall, rich soils, and significant day-to-night temperature fluctuations, create ideal conditions for producing teas of exceptional complexity, sweetness, minerality, and aging potential.
Hà Giàng is particularly famous for its Shan Tuyết tea trees, a unique Vietnamese tea variety often referred to as "Snow Mountain Tea." Many of these ancient trees grow naturally in remote mountain forests, where their deep root systems absorb nutrients and minerals from multiple geological layers. Harvested by local ethnic minority communities using traditional methods, Shan Tuyết teas are celebrated for their floral aromas, honey-like sweetness, rich texture, vibrant mountain character, and long-lasting aftertaste, making Hà Giàng one of the most respected tea terroirs in Vietnam.
ORGANOLEPTICS
CHEN PI SHU CHA offers a versatile tea experience, allowing the drinker to explore different expressions of the blend. It can be brewed as a whole mandarin, gradually opening over multiple infusions, or gently broken apart and prepared as loose tea. The citrus peel may be brewed together with the tea for a fuller aromatic profile or partially removed to adjust the balance between the mature Shu Pu'Er and the vibrant citrus character according to personal preference.
The dry tea presents an impressive appearance, with the aged Shu Pu'Er enclosed within a naturally dried wild mountain mandarin. The aroma is deep, rich, and inviting, combining notes of aged citrus peel, forest honey, cedar wood, dark chocolate, dried orange, sweet spices, medicinal herbs, and earthy Shu Pu'Er. When warmed in a preheated teapot or gaiwan, the fragrance becomes exceptionally expressive, revealing additional layers of caramel, sandalwood, camphor, dried dates, cocoa, warm citrus oils, and subtle balsamic nuances.
The liquor is bright, clear, and deep amber-red in color. The aroma of the infusion is rich and harmonious, beautifully integrating the mature character of aged Shu Pu'Er with the refreshing elegance of Chen Pi. The texture is thick, smooth, and velvety, coating the palate with remarkable softness. The taste opens with notes of forest honey, aged wood, dark cocoa, and creamy earthiness before gradually unfolding into sweet mandarin peel, dried orange, herbs, warm spices, dried fruits, and delicate mineral sweetness. The citrus never dominates the tea but instead lifts and brightens the mature Shu Pu'Er, creating a beautifully balanced and layered profile that continues to evolve throughout the session.
The aftertaste is long, clean, and comforting. Lingering notes of sweet citrus peel, honey, medicinal herbs, aged wood, and gentle mineral sweetness remain on the palate long after each sip. A pleasant warming sensation gradually develops, while the natural freshness of the citrus creates an elegant contrast to the tea's deep, grounding character. With each infusion, new aromatic layers emerge as the mandarin slowly releases its essential oils, making every brewing session slightly different. Whether prepared whole or separated into tea and peel, CHEN PI SHU CHA offers a refined, evolving, and deeply satisfying experience that beautifully reflects the harmony between aged Shu Pu'Er and traditional Chen Pi. This tea has warming properties and is ideal for the colder winter months.
"Throughout my tea journey, I have developed a deep respect for the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the wisdom behind its thoughtful combination of natural ingredients. During more than a decade of working professionally with tea, I encountered Chen Pi Pu'Er countless times while traveling throughout China. Every time I tasted it, I found myself asking the same questions: What quality of Pu'Er was used? And perhaps most importantly, how clean and natural were the ingredients themselves?
In 2024, we asked local ethnic minority communities in the mountains of Hà Giàng Province to collect wild organic mandarins for us, carefully preserving their peels using traditional sun-drying methods. That year, we produced a small experimental batch of loose Shu Pu'Er blended with pieces of aged citrus peel. The result exceeded our expectations and convinced us that the concept deserved to be taken further. To achieve the highest quality possible, we selected a beautifully aged Shu Pu'Er produced in 2012 and paired it with carefully prepared wild mountain mandarins. This tea is already wonderful to enjoy today and also possesses excellent aging potential, allowing it to gradually evolve into a smoother, deeper, and more harmonious tea over time. Personally, I prefer to brew tea leaves separately from the citrus peel, as this allows me to appreciate the perfect balance of the tea's natural flavor while enjoying the delicate aroma of the aged citrus.
Today, teas made with Chen Pi have become increasingly popular throughout China, and they can be found in countless tea shops and traditional markets. Unfortunately, I have also seen many examples stored under conditions that, in my opinion, do not meet the standards required for a product intended to age and be enjoyed for years to come. Poor storage not only diminishes the tea's character but may also compromise the quality of the finished product. Ultimately, each of us decides what kind of food and drink becomes part of our daily life. For me, quality, transparency, and respect for the raw materials have always come first. If those values matter to you as well, I warmly invite you to discover our own interpretation of this traditional Chinese classic - CHEN PI SHU CHA."
— Andrei Ivanovs, Founder of AN SHIM TEA
In 2024, we asked local ethnic minority communities in the mountains of Hà Giàng Province to collect wild organic mandarins for us, carefully preserving their peels using traditional sun-drying methods. That year, we produced a small experimental batch of loose Shu Pu'Er blended with pieces of aged citrus peel. The result exceeded our expectations and convinced us that the concept deserved to be taken further. To achieve the highest quality possible, we selected a beautifully aged Shu Pu'Er produced in 2012 and paired it with carefully prepared wild mountain mandarins. This tea is already wonderful to enjoy today and also possesses excellent aging potential, allowing it to gradually evolve into a smoother, deeper, and more harmonious tea over time. Personally, I prefer to brew tea leaves separately from the citrus peel, as this allows me to appreciate the perfect balance of the tea's natural flavor while enjoying the delicate aroma of the aged citrus.
Today, teas made with Chen Pi have become increasingly popular throughout China, and they can be found in countless tea shops and traditional markets. Unfortunately, I have also seen many examples stored under conditions that, in my opinion, do not meet the standards required for a product intended to age and be enjoyed for years to come. Poor storage not only diminishes the tea's character but may also compromise the quality of the finished product. Ultimately, each of us decides what kind of food and drink becomes part of our daily life. For me, quality, transparency, and respect for the raw materials have always come first. If those values matter to you as well, I warmly invite you to discover our own interpretation of this traditional Chinese classic - CHEN PI SHU CHA."
— Andrei Ivanovs, Founder of AN SHIM TEA
AN SHIM TEA PRODUCTION
Explore more teas crafted under the AN SHIM TEA PRODUCTION label, where each batch reflects direct involvement in sourcing, processing, and refinement. These teas are created from carefully selected raw material, and produced using both traditional and experimental methods.
AN SHIM TEA 'SHU PU'ER' COLLECTION
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