Country of Origin: China, Yunnan Province, Kunming
Leaf Appearance: very small and dark with some golden tips
Ingredients: pu-erh tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: amber
According to Chicago Tea Garden, this tea is aged in ceramic pots for ten years in a man-made cave. The earthy element of this tea was softer and more refined than most pu-erhs but there was a definite mossy quality to it. This was especially true of the leaves post-steeping. It was sweet with very little astringency. I did four sequential steepings but quite a few more could definitely have been squeezed out. This tea would be great for a beginner just starting to feel their way around the world of pu-erh because of its mellow taste and unintimidating appearance. It would also make a unique gift for that tea-fiend who has everything.