Shape: Jingua Tuocha / Melon tea Made in 2001

Origin: XiaGuan Tea Factory for CNNP, Yunnan, China

Process: shu (wodui) aka cooked.

Weight: +/- 450 gr (Thanks to its hard compression, there's little loss of leaves)

It was purchased by a Taiwanese merchant from Tainan some 13 years ago. It has been stored very clean: there are no water or tea stains on the paper. (And the paper looks yellow and aged as well). Because it's from Xiaguan, it's still very hard pressed and it's necessary to use a puerh knife to start loosening the leaves!

1. The View

The color of the leaves inside and outside is very close and doesn't appear to be grey/white. There are lots of buds and small leaves in this puerh. To me, this tea feels so clean that I don't even rinse it! The first 6 minutes test brew is deep black.

2. The scents

The scents are what I expect of good, clean shu puerh.

3. The taste

The taste is sweet, smooth and pure. A great shu puerh that is best enjoyed in a soft clay, zisha teapot. See the Chaxi for this tea here.