The leaves of the pu puer tea shu Yi Pin Chayun brick 2008 come from the area of the Bulang and Nannuo areas located in southern China. To frame the category of puer teas we need to better explain the area where these teas grow, since in most cases it is the area itself that gives each tea its distinctive name.
In our case we are in the eastern part of the Yunnan region (famous precisely for puer production) in an autonomous prefecture called Xishuangbanna. Here, in the Menghai region, this tile was produced in 2008 by the Yi Pin Tang factory with a precise recipe to create this product ad hoc.
Given the two major areas of origin of the leaves that make up this tile, we will have an infusion that is particularly rich in very varied flavors. In fact, tasting the tea in the cup, we will first be able to smell a dry, almost iron-like scent, followed by a barrel-wood flavor that shortly afterwards will reveal floral notes of lavender that are very distinctive for a shu puer. In addition to these characteristics, there will be a slight taste of damp earth and a mineral note that in the aftertaste will leave a fresh sensation on the palate.
Location of origin
Bulang and Nannuo areas - Yunnan, China
Production
After harvesting, the leaves of the 2008 shu puer shu Yi Pin Chayun brick tea are left to wither in the sun for a certain amount of time at the producer's discretion before going through the oxidation blocking stage, which is purely similar to that used to produce green teas. The particularity in this case lies in not heating the leaves as much as is done for a green tea so that certain enzymes are preserved that will modify the flavors over time. Once cooked, the leaves are taken in large quantities and stacks of them are made about 40 to 50 centimeters high then covered with a cloth under which the fermentation process will take place. Here the producer will have to skillfully move the leaves around and wet them as they are made so that the fermentation progresses steadily and is distributed as evenly as possible. Once this process, which can last from 20 to 70 days, is finished, the leaves are expanded and left in contact with the air so that the microorganisms dry out and die, leaving the finished product. The resulting mass of leaves will be pressed in order to facilitate better transport and aging conditions. To press the leaves, they are invested by a strong jet of steam that is able to soften them externally without varying their internal moisture and, once this state is reached, it will be enough to put them in a bag and close it very tightly around them to give them the desired shape. To fix this shape over time, the sack is left for hours under a stone or mechanical press while the leaves lose that vapor with which they had been in contact in the previous stage.
Preparation
We strongly recommend infusing the puer shu Yi Pin Chayun brick 2008 tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to enjoy these leaves at their best. Following this preparation, 5 grams of leaves can be used in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 95-98°C, one can proceed with an initial infusion of 20 seconds, and after that, keeping the water at the same temperature, one can proceed by increasing the time each time by 5 seconds from the previous infusion (20 - 25 - 30 ...).
This tea has a longevity of about 9 infusions.
For a classic preparation according to the Western style we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200 ml cup with water at 95-98°C for an infusion time of 3 minutes.
The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting and also the infusion times given above here are meant to be purely indicative so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.
We recommend storing in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
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