Gong Ting Jin Hao has a pleasant flavor of dried fruits and is a high-quality tea.
Gong Ting Pu-erh is a category of ripe Pu-erh tea.
Although books and the internet often describe Gong Ting Pu-erh as the highest grade of Pu-erh tea, this is not necessarily accurate.
Freshly made ripe Pu-erh tea leaves are called mao cha, consisting of one bud and two or three leaves.
Raw tea after fermentation
Ripe Pu-erh tea is graded by sieving the mao cha by size and part.
Left: raw tea, Right: after grading
Neither is necessarily superior, but grading can create unique characteristics that mao cha lacks by separating it into buds, leaves, stems, and other parts.
Gong Ting Pu-erh is the grade that consists mainly of bud tips. Because of the high proportion of buds, the uncompressed tea has a deep golden color, giving it an impression of high quality.
Due to its limited yield and high demand, Gong Ting Pu-erh is typically the most expensive among the graded components.
However, there is no inherent logic that buds are the most flavorful part. Buds have a high amino acid content, which produces a smooth, melting sensation in the mouth. In terms of mellow softness, tea with a high proportion of buds excels. On the other hand, buds tend to have a lighter flavor compared to leaves. Due to market dynamics, Gong Ting Jin Hao commands a high price, but this does not necessarily guarantee the best quality. Enjoy the unique flavor and aroma characteristics that come from tea with a high proportion of buds.
Of course, even within Gong Ting Pu-erh, quality varies greatly depending on the raw materials used.
Tea grown with heavy fertilization, naturally cultivated tea, and naturally cultivated tea plucked from old trees all differ in terms of richness and depth. The soil quality of the tea garden also influences the tea's body.
Obtaining high-quality raw materials with excellent body and richness is essential. Such tea is already very satisfying even at the mao cha stage.
Gong Ting Pu-erh made from superior raw materials naturally achieves excellent quality and provides a memorable taste experience after just one sip.
The Quality of Ripe Pu-erh Tea is Closely Related to the Quality and Production Conditions of Raw Tea
Ripe Pu-erh tea is made by microbial fermentation of raw Pu-erh tea. Therefore, the key to quality lies in the raw Pu-erh tea before fermentation.
In years with low yields, much of the high-quality tea is sold as raw Pu-erh tea and does not reach ripe tea production. Since raw Pu-erh tea commands higher prices in Yunnan Province, high-quality raw material is often diverted to raw tea processing. In low-yield years, it becomes difficult to source raw materials for ripe tea, and rain-plucked leaves are sometimes used instead. Tea plucked in the rain tends to have a lighter taste.
Further Improvement in Quality with Aging
This tea is enjoyable now, but aging it for several years will deepen the flavor and add density to the taste. If you wish to age it, store the tea unopened in a warm room. We recommend buying now and aging at home, as stock may no longer be available when you return for it later.
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.
