Pu Er Sheng 2023 Yongde Da Shan Old Trees

A young sheng (raw) pu-erh from the remote forests of Yongde, in the Lincang prefecture of southwest Yunnan. Where the shou style is deliberately fermented to give ripe, earthy character from the outset, sheng cha takes the opposite path, pressed young and left to mature slowly over years, sometimes decades, gaining depth and complexity as it goes. This tea can be enjoyed now for its bright, youthful expression, or set aside to unfold in its own time.

The leaves come from 70-year-old tea bushes in the Da Shan area, "big mountain", tended by the producer Yang Wen Bin at 1,200 metres. Old-tree pu-erh is prized for the depth and clarity that only mature root systems can deliver, and here the material shows in every sip: a careful blend of long leaves and unbroken buds, worked according to methods steeped in tradition and expertise.

The infusion opens with sweet vegetal and fruity flavours reminiscent of dry straw and ripe melon. A gentle line of tannins gives the tea its structure, drawing the palate through to a smooth, syrupy sweet finish. Beautifully approachable for a young sheng, a rare thing at this price, and equally suited to daily drinking or long-term cellaring.