Puer Shu (cooked) Bulang tea 2017 357g

The leaves of Puer Shu (cooked) Bulang 2017 come from the Bulang area, which is located in the Yunnan region of southern China. To better understand this product, it is necessary to delve into the area of origin of its leaves, since, in most cases, it is the place of origin itself that gives the tea its name and main organoleptic qualities.

This puer, specifically, is composed mainly of the crop made in the mountainous area called Bulang south of Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture, at the most extreme southwestern point of Yunnan. The leaves in question were then carefully selected and pressed in spring 2017 by the Menglun Jingyu factory located in Mengla County. The indication about the factory where the leaves arrive is useful to emphasize that there is a certain style or type of research behind this puer, designed by a special group of tea masters to enhance the territorial characteristics of the product.

Tasting – Sight and smell

The leaves of Puer Shu Bulang 2017 are pressed rather tightly, with a partially rolled and partially flattened shape and dark colors ranging from deep brown to coppery brown. Once infused, the leaves release aromas of damp earth and bark, balsamic hints of fennel and star anise, and a finish of musk and camphor. The color of the liquor evolves from a clear, transparent amber orange to a dark orange, to the deep red and almost impenetrable brown of the latest infusions.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Puer Shu Bulang 2017 has a rare smoothness, with delicate notes of wet earth, burnt wood, and a sweetness reminiscent of licorice. The finish is balsamic and fresh, with hints of mountain herbs and gentian. As we proceed with the infusions, the sweetness becomes more intense and a particular sugary sensation remains at the bottom of the tongue. Empyreumatic notes also emerge more strongly with a surprising coffee finish. The last infusions have a strong and deep character, bringing out the woody and bark component, a woody wetness, and memories of peaty whiskey. A complex, medium-bodied tea with a long persistence that leaves hints of wood and coffee on the palate.

Place of origin

Bulang – Yunnan, China

Production of Puer Shu (cooked) Bulang 2017

After the harvest the leaves whither under the sunlight for a certain period of time depending on the tea masters evaluations before going into the “killing of the green” phase which is similar to the practice adopted for green teas. In this case, however, the leaves are heated in the iron wok with a lower temperature than the usual standards for a green tea so it is possible to preserve some enzymes capable of changing the the taste of the tea through the time. Once cooked, the leaves are taken in large quantities and stacked to form large piles. The vegetable mass thus arranged is then moistened and covered with cloths in order to retain heat and to start the fermentation process. The producer here have to move and wet constantly the leaves in order to achieve an homogeneous fermentation on all the vegetal mass. Once this process is completed, which can last from 20 to 70 days, the leaves are spread and left in contact with air so that the microorganisms responsible for the fermentation dry up and die leaving the finished product. Once here, one can (eventually) proceed to press the puer in order to give it the best conditions to be transported and aged. To press the leaves, the producer exposes a certain quantity of the product to a strong steam jet for few seconds in order softened the vegetal mass and then wrap all up in a kind of sock or sac to imprint the final, usually discoid, form. To maintain the desired shape the sac is put under an heavy stones for several hours or under a mechanical press while the leaves loose the residual moisture caused by the steam in the previous phase.

Preparation of Puer Shu (cooked) Bulang 2017

We strongly recommend infusing this tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. By following this preparation, multiple infusions can be made with 5 grams of leaves that are useful to best capture all the flavor nuances of the tea.

Heat the water to a temperature of 95°C: proceed to briefly rinse the leaves and then to an initial 20-second infusion. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time (20 – 25 – 30…).

This tea has a longevity of about 6 brewings.

For a more classic preparation in the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200-mL cup with 95°C water for a 3-minute infusion time.

For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the brewing time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly modified to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

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