Unique Characteristics of 2020 and 2021 Harvests
Tang Jia Raw Pu-erh Tea has a well-balanced taste with a moderate body and a long aftertaste. The 2020 harvest has a creamier and smoother mouthfeel, while the 2021 harvest offers a longer aftertaste and a sharp, transparent taste.
When thinking of Pu-erh tea, many may imagine a tea with a brown liquor and the flavor of dried mushrooms or dried fruits. However, that type of tea is Ripe Pu-erh tea.
Raw Pu-erh tea is fruity and delicate, much like freshly made white wine. It has no bitterness or astringency, making it very popular with children.
Product Details
Tang Jia Raw Pu-erh Tea is made from spring tea harvested from tea gardens at an altitude of 2000–2100 meters in the western part of Lincang City, Yunnan Province. The name "Tang Jia" comes from the family name "Tang," who own the tea garden. Despite having many old trees that anyone would envy, the Tang family's tea garden was left unattended for about 30 years until 2018, without any tea being plucked.
Ancient Tea Garden Left Unattended for 30 Years Due to Family Circumstances
The Tang family used to be tea farmers, but after the current head of the family inherited the property, they switched to raising cattle and goats. The high-quality meat of cattle and goats grazed on wild mountain grass in the high-altitude areas of Lincang fetches high prices. Even pen-raised cattle sell for around 10,000 yuan (approximately 150,000 yen) per head, and free-range cattle command even higher prices, making livestock farming a coveted occupation in the village. Consequently, many tea garden owners, like the Tang family, have switched to livestock farming.
Initially, the Tang family expected his wife to be involved in tea production while Mr. Tang (pictured above) managed the livestock. However, since the livestock farming provided sufficient income, his wife had little interest in working the tea garden. As a result, the garden was left unattended for years, creating tension within the family — particularly with the mother-in-law — and ultimately leading to their divorce a few years ago.
Me attempting to touch a goat kid.
Now in his 50s, Mr. Tang remarried after his first wife left. His new wife is a refugee from Kokang, Myanmar.
Kokang was a region of intense civil conflict, with fighter jets and mortar shells flying overhead until just a few years ago. The western part of Lincang is only about 50 kilometers from Myanmar, and accepting refugees from there is common. In counties like Zhenkang and Yongde, it is not unusual for locals to marry people from Myanmar.
Mr. Tang's new wife from Myanmar (pictured above) is an incredibly hard worker. Within less than six months, she transformed the completely overgrown garden into a pluckable state by clearing the underbrush and cutting down small trees. Her extraordinary work ethic made her famous in the village, and the tea garden became known as "the ancient tea garden of the Myanmar wife."
In 2018, I attempted to source Tang Jia's tea, but due to its popularity I could only secure a small amount of the raw tea leaves. In 2019, I decided to rent the Tang family's tea garden. Fortunately, the tea producer I collaborate with is a relative of the Tang family, which allowed me to arrange the rental fee through the producer and secure a one-year lease.
Following local custom, when renting a tea garden you pay the rental fee upfront and also pay the Myanmar wife a fair rate for plucking the tea. This arrangement provides the Tang family with additional income from the rental fee.
The Tang family's tea garden after clearing the overgrowth.
Slowly Grown Tea Trees
Interestingly, even tea trees that have thrived for hundreds of years can suddenly become weak and die if fertilized. Farmers with this knowledge avoid using any fertilizers to prevent weakening the trees. The Tang family has
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 on teas with transparency and a long-lasting aftertaste. To achieve this, we seek out remote mountain villages and select tea gardens with ancient tea trees, high altitudes, and no fertilizers, sourcing through channels off the beaten path. For more details, please visit the following page.
In Yunnan, teas claiming to originate from famous regions are produced across thousands of locations using leaves sourced from elsewhere, and can be found everywhere — from airports and convenience stores to supermarkets.
What makes the situation more complex is a well-known phenomenon among local sourcing professionals: teas made from leaves grown in remote, lesser-known areas often surpass the genuine articles in quality. This is especially common with Pu-erh teas from Lincang. For more details, please visit the following page.
In Yunnan Province, there are long-established brands such as Dayi and Zhongcha. These brands are highly regarded because teas produced before 1990 are considered exceptionally valuable.
Why are those older teas so special? Many assume it is simply due to long aging, but the real reason is that the tea leaves used at that time were naturally grown without fertilizers, giving them inherently superior quality.
This means that even if today's teas are aged for just as long, they will not reach the same level. For more information, please visit the following page.
