Emperor Shou Pu-erh 2008

This Emperor Pu-erh is comprised of small hand-picked young leaves and buds, gathered in Spring of 2008 from Menghai County in Xishuangbanna, the lush tea growing region of Yunnan, China. It’s a region rich in history and in the unique environmental factors ideal for cultivating good quality pu-erh.

Picked tea leaves are first sun withered, then rolled, twisted and finally roasted to create a “maocha”, the base green stage of a pu-erh. The maocha is then piled and composted in a controlled process that accelerates the aging of the tea, doing in a year what normally would take upwards of 10 years to achieve if the tea was allowed to age on its own.

This "shou" or "cooked" process introduces a mellow, malty character to Pu-erhs. In this example, the result is a rich texture in the mouth, balanced by a bright, luscious flavor with notes of chocolate mint or grass jelly.

Brewing Guide

Our Emperor Pu-erh, made from young leaves and skillfully ripened, is easy and forgiving to brew. This ease also offers a range of character possibilties: shorter brews will yield a bright, sweet flavor, while longer brews will accentuate the creamy, rich and malty character.

To get an infusion somewhere in between, start with 4 grams of tea leaves. Rinse the tea for 5 seconds and discard the rinse water. Brew with boiling water for 1 minute 30 seconds. Add 30 seconds to each subsequent brew.