1999 Baoshan "Iron Cake" - Collector's Aged Sheng (Raw) Pu-erh

Yunnan Da Ye (云南大叶) is a large-leaf cultivar from the mountains of Yunnan, often from famous tea growing regions. This tradition of compressing tea cakes into a mold for long term transport and storage goes back to the ancient "Tea Horse Road" (茶马古道) starting under the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD). This formalized "tribute tea" was then sent to the Emperor, and traded to secure horses for transportation (hence the name). Pu-erh tea can thusly be called the first real type of mass produced tea - before loose leaf, before tea bags, it was just a large brick of tea that you could break down gradually and use for a long time. This was the state of the tea market in the Tang Dynasty (I'm glad we live in a time with more options now).

Baoshan is a region of Yunnan that is often overlooked for the more famous areas like Yiwu, Menghai, and Jingmai. Those are often touted as the famous, and therefore "most exclusive" places to source Pu-erh tea. While there is some truth in this, getting tea from other regions of Yunnan can be harder, and therefore require more verification and research. Baoshan itself is in the Western part of Yunnan, near the border with Myanmar. This is the most geologically active part of China, with 97 dormant volcanos, and hot springs everywhere. It is part of the "Rehai" (热海) or "Hot Sea" which is an area known for lush soil, geothermal springs, perfect for growing crops and of course, tea. Another place of note is the old Heshun Ancient Town (和顺镇), a critical stop on the old "Tea Horse Road" route. A perfectly preserved town from around 1400 AD, it is also known as one of China's "Top 10 Charming Towns" and would be a lovely place to visit someday. Needless to say, this area has plenty of tea history and is a bit of an underrated place to source in Yunnan.

The Pu-erh cake was pressed in 1999 in a steel mold, resulting in a very densely packed tea that can be steeped many times. It was "wet aged" which is a technique of exposing the tea to humidity so it can enhance some of the more earthy notes - to me these notes are best described as "Petrichor" or similar to the smell of rain on a warm summer day. The first infusions have a plummy flavor, combined with lovely aromas of tobacco leaf, old book leather, and moss. The last steeps taste like dried black cherry, with the smell of wet slate rock, damp earth, and Hinoki Cedar Wood.

Notes from Staff:

This is our first Pu-erh offering, so we wanted to offer something a bit more unique. The Baoshan volcanic terroir, the fact it is nearly 30 years old, and the noticeable feeling of relaxation from such an aged, almost medicinal tea, creates such a great steeping experience. To drink this tea feels like taking a walk in a forest of pine trees on a rainy autumn day. I recommend steeping this tea 15-20 times, my record is 21. You can spend an afternoon, or even an entire day just blissfully sipping on this little piece of tea history.