Puer Sheng (raw) Tea with Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha

The Puer Sheng (raw) Tea with Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha has a shape that may look unusual to us but it is quite a common thing in China and it is called Tuo. This word means bowl in Chinese and it describes the form assumed by the leaves of this tea after being pressed together.

The benefits of this shape are: obtaining and easy to carry product, providing a single dose of tea ready to brew and, above all, guarantee to the puer the best conditions to age and, so, going on to mature its flavors.

The Tuo, because of its advantages, is also produced in other sizes a way bigger than the one of this product. You can even find Tuo that weight a kilo or more.

In order to better understand this product, it is necessary to investigate the area of origin of its leaves as, in most cases, it is the place of origin itself that gives the tea its name and main organoleptic qualities.

This puer is specifically made by an harvest coming from the mountain area around the Menghai city in the West part of Autonomous Prefecture of Xishaungbanna, at the South of Yunnan.

In addition to the camelia’s leaves, during the pressing process of the Puer Sheng (raw) Tea with Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha, there is an addition of dried chrysanthemum flower that are one of the classic natural element used in China to scent a product.

The combination of the two elements in this product gives to the palate a persistent and rich sweet sensation. First, in fact, there is the floral sweetness of the chrysanthemum, then, It follows a bit bitter vegetal flavor typical of sheng that, in the end, turns into a sweet and savory taste. In the aftertaste, after some sips, the flavors of tea and chrysanthemum come tighter revealing quite a strict interactions between their.

This scented puer version could be really helpful for getting into sheng because, in this case, some bitter and tannic features of the tea that may result hard to appreciate at first tasting are softened by the chrysanthemum presence.

We invite you to taste other scented product of us like the Puer Shu (ripe) Tea with Jasmine Mini Tuocha.

Place of origin

Menghai County, Yunnan – China

Production

After the harvest the leaves of the Puer Sheng (raw) Tea with Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha 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.

After being pan-fried the leaves rest during the night time before the last drying phase under the sun in the next day. In this stage the product is called maocha and it is ready to be (eventually) pressed in order to have the best conditions to being transported and aged.

To press the leaves mixed with the chrysanthemum flowers, 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.

Brewing instructions for the Puer Sheng (raw) Tea with Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha

We strongly recommend infusing Puer Sheng (raw) Chrysanthemum Mini Tuocha Tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. By following this preparation, with 1 Tuo, multiple infusions can be made that are useful for best tasting all the flavors of the tea.

After a quick rinse of the leaves with water at a temperature of 90°C, an initial 15-second infusion can be made, and then, keeping the water at the same temperature, the product can continue to be exploited by adding more to water and increasing the previous infusion time by about 5 seconds (15 – 20 – 25…).

For a more traditional preparation in the Western style, we recommend half of Tuo in a 200 ml cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of 2 1/2 minutes.

For a better tasting experience we suggest to filter the infuse as close as possible to the proper steeping time indication. The brewing time recommendations, however, can also be slightly adjust by your personal taste in order to obtain a strong or more delicate cup of tea.

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

Benefits of Puer Sheng Tea (raw)

Puer Sheng (raw) teas generally provide a pleasant relaxing effect and moderate caffeine content. Compared to other teas with an arousing effect (such as green teas) these Puer teas usually have a more gradual impact over time. They are therefore good for promoting concentration for longer periods than other teas. Puer Sheng (raw) teas also give the infusion a good amount of antioxidants but, because of its caffeine content, we urge, especially more sensitive people, to consume them in moderation.

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