Our Organic Emperor Pu-erh is comprised of small hand-picked young leaves and buds, gathered in Spring of 2008 from Menghai County in Xishuangbanna, the lush tea growing region of Yunnan, China. It’s a region rich in history and in the unique environmental factors ideal for cultivating good quality pu-erh.
Picked tea leaves are first sun whithered, then rolled, twisted and finally roasted to create a “maocha”, the base green stage of a pu-erh. The maocha is then piled and composted in a controlled process that accelerates the aging of the tea, doing in a year what normally would take upwards of 10 years to achieve if the tea was allowed to age on its own.
This "shou" or "cooked" process introduces a mellow, malty character to Pu-erhs. In the Organic Emperor Pu-erh, it imparts a sweet, earthy, slightly leathery aroma – and sweetens the tea’s flavor. With time, the sweetness and smoothness will only increase, making the 2008 a perfect tea to store and age.
BREWING GUIDE
Infuser Cup
Water Temp 212 ° F
Steep Time 1 min 45 sec
Gaiwan / Teapot (6 oz.)
Water Temp 212 ° F
Steep Time 1 min 30 sec
Teapot (12 oz.)
Water Temp 212 ° F
Steep Time 2 min
Because their small leaf size creates more surface area for oxidation, emperor style pu-erh teas tend to be maltier and earthier than their same-age large leaf counterparts.
We recommend at least a 5 second rinse time. Once rinsed, use 4 grams of tea leaves brewed in boiling water for 1 minute 30 seconds. Add 30 seconds to each subsequent infusion.
