2016 Wild Tea Mao-Cha on Sale for a Limited Time

We have completed the sourcing of two wild teas from Da Xue Shan: Wild Spring Bud and Wild Tea. These teas are produced from wild tea trees grown in the native forests of Yunnan, China. We are now opening pre-booking for these two Wild Tea mao-cha (loose tea). The booking is available only for a limited period, after which the teas will be compressed into cakes.

Da Xue Shan Wild Pu-erh Tea

Da Xue Shan wild tea is made from Camellia taliensis grown in native forests of Da Xue Shan (Da Xue Mountain), which spans three counties: Yong De (永德), Shuang Jiang (双江), and Lin Cang (临沧). The material from this area is of excellent quality thanks to the well-preserved natural environment. Tea is plucked only once in spring by local minority communities living at the foot of Da Xue Shan. Due to the remote location, most fresh leaves are traditionally processed by farmers in their own kitchens. However, due to limited facilities and technical precision, such teas often develop a strong burnt flavor. These teas tend to be darker, more fragmented, and produce cloudy liquor due to excessive firing and dust. In 2014, I had a disappointing experience: after inspecting and ordering wild tea, the shipped batch was mixed with burnt leaves. I had to return to Yunnan to source alternatives. Since then, we no longer purchase directly from local farmers. Instead, we work with skilled manufacturers who have proper facilities and expertise. We now appoint experienced tea masters to process our wild teas. Although this increases cost, it ensures that the outstanding raw material from Da Xue Shan is handled with care. Fresh leaves are collected from the origin and transported to a proper facility for controlled processing. This year’s production was carried out exceptionally well, and I am very satisfied with the result.

Honey-Muscat Flavor thanks to both good processing and material

This year, due to cold weather, the tea plucking season started 10–14 days later than usual. This extended the harvesting period. Older tea trees grow more slowly, and their leaves became available later in the season. Fortunately, the price of fresh leaves decreased slightly just as material from older trees became available, allowing us to secure high-quality leaves within budget. You may notice that this year’s wild tea leaves appear more yellowish than in previous years—this is due to the older trees. The 2016 Da Xue Shan Wild Tea offers an extremely strong aftertaste. Its flavor resembles raw honey with muscatel notes, and the sweetness lingers for a long time. Tea from older wild trees typically provides a clear, refined sensation with lasting sweetness. Thanks to well-controlled pan-frying, this tea also has a mild sweetness reminiscent of fresh Phoenix Dan Cong oolong. If served without explanation, many might mistake it for an oolong. After the pre-booking period, the remaining quantity will be compressed into cakes. Compressed tea tends to mature faster, while mao-cha ages more slowly but retains its distinctive honey-muscatel sweetness over time.

Wild Spring Bud

The plucking of Wild Spring Bud usually begins in mid-March. This year, Yunnan experienced unusually cold weather, causing very slow budding. Initially, only 5–15 kg of fresh buds were collected per day, yielding just 1–4 kg of finished tea. Although the slow growth was frustrating at first, it ultimately resulted in higher quality. Slow-growing leaves develop richer compounds and minerals, producing a sweeter taste. This tea offers a grape-like sweetness with hints of young tree bark and spring herbs. I recommend storing it for a few months to allow the flavor to deepen. It is also well-suited for long-term aging, developing notes of honeyed apricot or dried figs over time. After the pre-booking period, the remaining Wild Spring Bud mao-cha will be compressed into 200g cakes.

Wild Spring Bud 2016 Mao-Cha / Loose Tea

100g JPY4,200 200g (100g × 2) JPY7,800 600g (100g × 6) JPY22,300 1000g (100g × 10) JPY31,200

For more on how raw Pu-erh is made, aged, and stored, see What Is Raw Pu-erh Tea?.