2012 Vintage Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh
Price range: €3.50 through €112.00
I started drinking Pu-erh when I was eighteen, and for a long time it was my favorite kind of tea. I still remember my travels in Pu-erh City — visiting old villages with deep tea traditions, walking through ancient tea forests, watching people in their wooden houses making tea. I drank tea from morning until night — more than ten cups in a single day, and cannot sleep till 3 a.m. in the morning.
After all these years, I’ve become quite particular about Pu-erh. The very expensive ones feel too precious to drink, while the cheaper ones often carry an overpowering mushroom note. this tea i really like it, the moment I tasted it — rich, balanced, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of Pu’er I can enjoy on my own or share proudly with friends.
AROMA & CHARACTER
The tea liquor is rich, mellow, and deeply comforting, the kind of warmth you can feel from the very first sip. It carries an earthy sweetness and a smooth texture, with layers that unfold gently as you drink. Over time, the years have softened its edges, turning what was once bold into something round, calm, and quietly powerful. Every time I drink it, I’m reminded why a good Pu-erh doesn’t shout — it whispers, and lingers.
✨ Understanding Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is one of China’s most distinctive teas, originating from Yunnan Province, where tea trees have grown for thousands of years. What makes Pu-erh unique is its post-fermentation process — the tea continues to age and transform after production, developing deeper and smoother flavors over time.
There are two main types of Pu-erh: Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh and Ripe (Shou) Pu-erh.
-Raw Pu-erh is naturally aged, with a bright, lively taste and sometimes astringent edge when young.
-Ripe Pu-erh, on the other hand, goes through a careful microbial fermentation that accelerates the aging process, giving it its signature deep color and mellow taste.
🍂 Ripe Pu-erh (Shou Pu)
Ripe Pu-erh was developed in the 1970s as a way to recreate the smooth character of naturally aged Pu-erh more quickly. During fermentation, tea leaves are piled, moistened, and allowed to gently ferment over several weeks under controlled humidity and temperature. This process brings out a dark, earthy sweetness and a rich, velvety texture.
The best ripe Pu-erh, especially those made from ancient tea trees, have an unmistakable depth: smooth, rounded, and calming — a tea that feels like warmth spreading through the body.
Unlike most teas that are enjoyed fresh, Pu-erh gains value and complexity with age, much like fine wine. Aged Pu-erh becomes softer, sweeter, and more harmonious, its earthy notes turning into gentle wood, cocoa, or dried-fruit undertones.
When you drink Pu-erh, you don’t just Smell and taste it — you observe it. The liquor should be deep in color, not dull or muddy. Take a look at the tea leaves, Some experienced tea drinkers like gently touching or pressing the brewed leaves, Good Pu-erh leaves are thick, elastic, and resilient, not fragile or easily broken.
🍃 Raw Pu-erh (Sheng Pu)
Raw Pu-erh, known as Sheng Pu in Chinese, is the original form of Pu-erh tea — lively, bright, and full of character. Unlike ripe Pu-erh, it is not artificially fermented. Instead, the tea leaves are gently sun-dried and naturally aged over years, slowly developing complexity through time and oxidation.
Young raw Pu-erh is vivid and energetic — brisk, floral, and sometimes pleasantly bitter — with a refreshing aroma that lingers in the mouth. As it ages, the tea’s sharp edges soften, revealing layers of honeyed sweetness, dried fruit, and gentle woodiness.
The finest raw Pu-erh, especially from ancient tea trees in Yunnan’s high mountains, carries a distinctive wild energy — pure, bright, and uplifting. Each infusion changes subtly, reflecting the terroir, the year, and even the hand of the maker.
To enjoy Sheng Pu-erh is to appreciate its transformation. Observe how the liquor shines golden and clear, how the aroma evolves with each steeping. Notice the leaves — thick, vibrant, and full of life. In every cup, there is both strength and grace — a living tea that matures, deepens, and breathes with time.
Light to Strong
Bitter / Astringent to Sweetness / Umaimi
Caffeine
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