Mu Yi Raw Pu-erh Tea 2013 is made from leaves plucked on Tang Li Shan in Yong De County, Lincang, Yunnan Province. Mu Yi is the informal name the producer uses for the area where the Tang Li Shan tea gardens are located. After purchasing the tea, we stored and aged it in our warehouse under oxygen-free conditions for approximately 12 years.
Raw Pu-erh tea is a delicate tea that is fruity and fresh, like freshly made white wine. It has no bitterness or astringency, making it very popular with children.
When you think of Pu-erh tea, you might imagine a tea with a brown liquor and the flavor of dried mushrooms or dried fruits, but that is a type of Pu-erh called ripe Pu-erh.
Difference Between Raw and Ripe Pu-erh Tea >
Tang Li Shan, the Symbol of Yong De
Tang Li Shan is a prominent mountain rising behind De Dang Town, the administrative center of Yong De County. The town developed along the slopes extending from the mountain. For local residents, Tang Li Shan is both a familiar landmark and, quite literally, the mountain in their backyard.
The upper part of the town sits at around 1,600 m above sea level, with tea gardens at 1,800 to 1,900 m just a short walk away. This makes exploring the tea gardens feel like a hike.
The southeast-facing slopes of Tang Li Shan receive abundant sunlight from sunrise through the afternoon. As a result, the tea develops a distinct flavor and a clean taste, characteristic of tea grown in sunny gardens.
How Pan-Frying Shapes the Flavor
The trees, their age and the altitude all play an important role in shaping the character of Pu-erh tea, but the pan frying method has a major influence too. How the producer understands and carries out this process directly affects the tea’s taste and flavor.
We purchased this tea from ethnic minority farmers who prefer to keep the temperature slightly higher during the latter half of pan frying. This allows the heat to penetrate the leaves thoroughly, giving the tea a toasty flavor reminiscent of roasting. Tea processed at high temperatures also contains compounds that contribute a subtle grape flavor.
Xian Su Shan, Xiu Lin Wu Hao, Huang Wu Lin, Gan Quan Ling and Myanmar Bai Ya Raw Pu-erh share the similar flavor profile. We recommend this tea to those who like Raw Pu-erh with a toasty flavor.
For a cleaner taste and flavor, rinse the leaves twice with boiling water before brewing.
Sweet Dried Fruit Flavor from a Decade of Aging
We purchased this tea from ethnic minority farmers who prefer to keep the temperature slightly higher during the latter half of pan frying. This allows the heat to penetrate the leaves thoroughly, giving the tea a toasty flavor reminiscent of roasting. Tea processed at high temperatures also contains compounds that contribute a subtle grape flavor.
Please note that the edges of Mu Yi tea cakes may be slightly loose, with some leaves beginning to separate from the cake.
Focus on Sourcing Naturally Cultivated Tea
Since 2010, we have been visiting Yunnan Province every spring. Over the years, we have built connections with many famous tea regions. However, our focus is not on a region's fame, but rather on tea with transparency and a long-lasting aftertaste. To achieve this, we focus on remote mountain villages, selecting tea gardens with ancient tea trees, high altitudes, and no fertilizers, sourcing through unique logistics channels. For more details, please visit the following page.
In Yunnan, teas claiming to be from famous regions are produced in thousands of locations using leaves from other areas, and can be found everywhere—from airports and convenience stores to supermarkets.
What complicates matters is the surprising phenomenon where imitation teas made from leaves in remote areas are of higher quality than the genuine articles. This is especially common with Pu-erh teas from Lincang, and it is a well-known fact among professionals involved in local sourcing. For more details, please visit the following page.
In Yunnan Province, there are long-established brands like Dayi and Zhongcha. These brands are renowned because their teas produced before 1990 are highly valued.
So why are these older teas considered special? Many people assume it is due to long aging, but in reality, the tea leaves used at that time were naturally grown without fertilizers, resulting in their superior quality.
Therefore, even if current teas are aged for a long time, they will not reach the same quality. For more information, please visit the following page.
