As in the past, the leaf for making the best Pu-erh tea cakes is collected from the forests of the
26 tea mountains and tea growing areas. Here, botanically unique broad leaf arbor trees known as Yunnan Dayeh ( a variant of Camellia Sinensis var. assamica ) produce large-sized buds and leaves which contribute to the unique flavor and nature of traditional Pu-erh teas. Tea trees and bushes of several different ages make up the complexion of these tea growing regions:

1. Ancient tea trees ( qiao mu ) – those over 100 years old

2. Old tea trees ( da shu cha ) – those less than 100 years old

3. Small tea trees ( xiao qiao mu ) – trees that are 50-100 years old

4. Cultivated tea bushes ( tai di cha ) - newly cultivated tea bushes that are
     less than 50 years old

Most beeng cha is made from a blend of raw leaf material that features a percentage of old leaf, not a predominance of it, and a balance of leaf to buds. Pu-erh enthusiasts look for cakes that are carefully blended from good quality leaf that will transform and age into splendid tea with a well-honed balance of astringency, woodsy flavor and sweetness. All the components of taste should be harmonious and smooth.

Each spring, buds emerge and new leaves unfold in the early days of pre-Qing Ming spring ( before May 5th ) and growth continues until the end of summer. As with other classes of Chinese tea, the best teas are those made from fresh, tender first of the season leaves and buds. 

All Pu-erh is pressed from mao cha, fresh leaf material that is de-enzymed to remove excess moisture by a kill-green step in a wood-fired tea firing pan; it is then rolled and twisted by hand to stimulate enzyme action within the leaf, and finally the mao cha is sun-dried into a semi-finished state.

Pu-erh tea is made in 2 distinct styles - sheng and shou - and most of it is compressed into flat, round cakes or discs ( beeng cha ), nests ( tuo cha ), squares or rectangular pieces.  A small amount of loose-leaf Pu-erh is also made.
 

 

Sheng Pu-erh is traditional style Pu-erh. The majority of sheng Pu-erh is compressed into beeng cha ( round, flat discs ) or tuo cha ( nests). Sheng Pu-erh is naturally fermented, and can be drunk young or aged. When young, the tea is sweet, woodsy, and clean tasting. When aged, sheng Pu-erh is rich, beefy, earthy and substantial. Aged sheng Pu-erh is the favorite of Asian tea enthusiasts: the better quality the tea ( or the blend of mao cha ) and the older the tea is, the more desirable and expensive the Pu-erh will be. Aging Pu-erh allows the magic of natural fermentation to work its magic on the flavor of the tea. It is not uncommon for very old sheng Pu-erh beeng cha ( those with several decades under their belt ) to fetch prices that range from several hundred to nearly a thousand dollars per beeng cha.

Sheng Pu-erh is said to have the following distinct characteristics:

  • High-mountain arbor tea tree leaves

  • A profusion of spring buds and large leaf

  • Sun-dried mao cha

  • Taste that is sweet and distinctive

  • Refinement of age from the effects of post-fermentation on the tea

  • Strong cha-qi (positive energy from a good environment and careful manufacture)