Menghai Royal Shu Pu-erh

Description

Menghai Royal Shu Pu-erh (勐海宫廷熟普洱) is a Gong Ting ‘Palace’ grade ripe pu-erh. This particular lot was produced in 2019 from leaves harvested in Menghai in Yunnan Province in mid April. It has an approachable profile with smooth woody and earthy notes that are balanced by a creamy and sweet edge.

For pu-erh processing, the initial stage is making the mao cha (毛茶) or ‘rough tea’ whereby the raw harvested leaves undergo a kill-green process, followed by rolling and drying – processing that is very similar to a green tea. This unique processing sets it apart from other teas and means that pu-erh fits within the separate ‘dark tea’ category. If the mao cha is left without further processing, this results in a sheng cha or ‘raw tea’.

To produce a ‘ripe tea’ or shu cha (熟茶), the mao cha undergoes a unique production process, known as wet piling or wo dui (渥堆) in Chinese. Wet piling involves heaping tea leaves in a hot and humid environment into large piles to achieve fermentation. In order for the leaves to ferment properly, the leaves from the bottom are moved to the top every few days. The heat and moisture speeds up the chemical changes within the leaves, reducing astringency and deepening the flavours. The whole fermentation process lasts around 45-60 days.

Both ripe and raw pu-erh tea is most commonly pressed into various shapes (domes, disks, bricks, etc) or can be left loose and the gradual fermentation and maturation process continues further during storage. This Menghai Royal Shu Pu-erh comes in loose form rather than being compressed, which results in quicker ageing, allowing the tea to develop quicker. This means that this tea can be either drunk straight away or, if desired, can be left to mature for longer to mellow out even more.

This Menghai Royal Shu Pu-erh consists of larger leaves that are quite tippy. The liquor produced has a deep, dark colour with a red tint with good clarity. The aroma is creamy and woody. The smooth flavours are deep but without any astringency or bitterness. It has notes that are woody, creamy and mildly stony and mineral on the aftertaste. The aftertaste is long-lasting but clean and smooth. The favours are nicely balanced by sweetness running throughout the tasting. This is a great example of a nicely smooth Menghai ripe pu-erh that makes a great tea for daily drinking or as an introduction to ripe pu-erh.

We suggest brewing parameters of 95°C for 2-3 minutes according to your taste, brewing multiple times. For best results, brew Gong Fu style. When brewed Gong Fu style we suggest briefly washing the leaves.