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Acala Tea Co.

"Yiwu's Virgin Tree" 1999 Original Ecology CNNP Shou Pu'er

"Yiwu's Virgin Tree" 1999 Original Ecology CNNP Shou Pu'er

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Regular price $31.00 USD
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Inside the tea wrapper for 1999 Original Ecology CNNP Shou Pu'er is a piece of paper that speaks about the legendary tea mountains of Yiwu and the artisanal tea processing techniques for this cake.  I love to read this message while drinking the tea liquor because it feels like a message from a time capsule, placed inside the tea wrapper when the cake was pressed in 1999.  The message reads: 

The Yiwu Virgin Tree's Round Cake Tea

  The Yiwu virgin trees round cake tea was made of shoot[s] which [were] selected from the virgin tea plants grown (sic) in Yiwu, it was totally made by hand by imitating the ancient tea-processing technologies.  The product is pollution-free, the tea leaves are fleshy and shining-black and tea soup shows a brightly reddish color.  It is an absolute (sic) natural function for preventing cancer, strengthening the stomach, reducing body weight, suppressing hypertension and decreasing blood fat (sic), and may thus help prolong human life.  

This tea is aged to perfection with a smooth body and mellow forest floor.  Because of it's high quality, it is never bitter even if brewed strongly and has the capability to re-brew up to ten times when prepared gong fu cha style. 

Please take advantage of lidding the pot of spent tea leaves to re-oxidizing them overnight and brewing them one last time in the morning.  Allow the leaves to infuse in hot water for longer than usual, around 6-8 minutes.  This infusion is a great way to awaken your tea palate in the mid-morning.    

The Yunnan Tea Corporation was founded in 1944 and went through numerous control, mergers and name changes over thirty years.  In 1972, the CNNP (中茶) branch was founded and became one of the original tea factories in China to produce manual pile fermented pu'er tea, which was first developed in 1973 by their affiliated company, Kunming Tea Factory.  In 1996, Kunming Factory suspended tea production and licensed it's brand to Menghai and Zianguan factories.  In 2003, the company stopped letting other factories produce its tea and retained its own ecological tea gardens, ensuring that their artisanal techniques and original ecology are exclusively part of Chinatea.  They still wrap their tea cakes in their signature red and green '中茶' logo. 

Tea Specifics

1999 Original Ecology CNNP Shou Pu'er

Harvest: 1999

Tea Cake Wedges, Removed By Tea Cake Knife from 357g Tea Cake

Young ripe (shou) pu'er contains 30-100mg of caffeine per cup, depending on the strength of the brew. The caffeine level is higher than aged shou pu'er because caffeine decays over time through oxidation and light. Thus aged shou pu'erh tea that is decades old may not contain much caffeine at all. If you have the willpower to store this young shou pu'er cake for at least seven years, the taste profile to evolve as it ages, like fine wine.

Tasting Notes

Deep amber liquor, medium thickness, well-rounded in mouth, caramel, molasses, vetiver, smooth, structured, balanced, harmony and finesse, forgiving if over-brewed

Brewing Recommendations

Serving Size: 4-6g of tea per 100ml purified water

Ideal Brewing Vessel: Clay tea pot

Awaken: Pour 212F water over tea wedge to allow the leaves to awaken for 90 seconds before discarding wash.

Steeping: Boil water to 212F and then wait for the water to stop bubbling before pouring the water into the pot. Replace the tea pot lid. Brew for a few seconds and then pour the liquor into a gong dao bei (fairness pitcher) before apportioning into tea cups.  Keep the lid on the tea pot so that the leaves stay warm. Flash brewing in this manner ensures this tea can be brewed up to 10+ times and brewed again the following morning if left overnight.

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