Spring 2014 Jingmai Sheng

Jingmai ( 景迈 )
In the Spring of 2014 my wife and I spent 3 months in Yunnan, China; the home of puerh tea. We walked the Ancient Tea Horse Road, we explored the tea markets, and we visited 6 unique tea mountains. In each of these mountains live traditional minority tea farmers whose families have worked the land cultivating puerh tea for countless generations. This tea was entirely hand picked and hand processed. This tea reflects both the unique regional terroir, and the individual skill of the farmer who is responsible for turning raw leaf into puerh tea.

The old growth tea forests of Jingmai ( pronounced ‘jing my’ ) are nothing short of idyllic. These ancient forests border Burma and hide smuggler trade routes still in use today. The biodiversity of the region and the nearly untainted old world methods and rituals of tea cultivation and harvesting make this area unique among world tea production. Large tea trees planted before Columbus discovered the Americas are commonplace.

Prefecture: Simao
Village: Lower Mangjing
Tree Age: 50/50 blend of trees under a hundred years old and trees between 250 and 500 years old
Elevation: 1418m
Brewing Instructions

Add 6 ounces of boiling water to 5 grams of leaf. Rinse once for 3 seconds. Steep quickly for 6 seconds. This tea is generous and can be resteeped many times. Add 10-15 seconds each re-steep.