Hailing from the legendary tea mountains of Yiwu, Yunnan, this 1999 tea is a rare find and a jewel vintage sheng pu'erh. Yiwu is one of the six ancient puerh tea mountains, and was a tribute puerh tea during the Qing dynasty, a rich history exemplified in the photos I took below.  When I first tasted the tea on my sourcing trip, I knew it was the real deal. The tea owner is a native of Yiwu, and one of the several pioneer companies that started producing and selling puerh teas back in 1990s when China was rejuvenated through economic reform and its tea culture began a new renaissance. The Nei Fei, or the paper with the producer's mark inside of the tea cake, is from Lian Xin mark (联兴号 ), one of the oldest puerh tea producers in Yiwu. I was unwilling to purchase inauthentic or mediocre aged teas that are so common in the market, and I had been looking for aged sheng puerh tea for quite some time. As with many of life's treasures, I came upon this gem when least expected.

This tea offers a thoroughly enlightening sensory experience and will expand your taste horizons. Time is the essence; the passing twenty-two years have brought a wonderful transformation of rich flavors to this tea. Early steepings feature a very noticeable ginseng aroma, characteristic of a well-aged puerh tea. Very smooth and mellow, floral and woody notes complement the sweet aftertaste. A warm sensation with strong saliva (生津) and flow of energy soon kicks in and runs throughout your entire body. After seven or eight steepings the ginseng note becomes more subtle, but a progression of creamy sweet notes follows. It gets even sweeter in the later steepings. After 22 years of aging, this tea is like a wise sage whispering and guiding you through life's wonders and brings complacency to your soul. A must try for puerh tea fans. 

Additional Info

Origin:          Yiwu, Yunnan province, China

Elevation:    1200 -1600 meters, Yunnan Da Ye (large leaves)

Tasting Notes

It has noticeable ginseng aroma, full bodied, smooth, rich, quinoa and woody notes, with hints of fruits and dates, and a sweet aftertaste. 

Steeping Guide

210^oF, 4g for 6 oz of spring/filtered water, 0.2-0.5 minute, up to 12 steepings, adjust to taste. We advise against the use of tap water as well as purified water. 

It is recommended to use the Gongfu brewing method in order to get the most out of this tea. Please click here for Gongfu brewing instructions.