2006 Xiaguan Jia Ji Sheng - Pu´er Tea

fruity wood - rose hip - forest honey

A powerful, classic tea in 'bird's nest' form. Years of natural storage have given it a beautiful woody depth carried by camphoric freshness.

Xiaguan is one of the oldest Pu'er factories in Yunnan, founded in Dali in 1939. They're best known for the tuo cha, tea pressed into a distinctive bird's-nest shape.

This 2006 Jia Ji (fine grade using tips and buds) shows the classic Xiaguan character: dry, frank, slightly rustic, with a generous structure and subtle camphor-wood aromas.

We detected attractive notes of rose hip and forest honey that layer over a cool, camphoric freshness, with a touch of fine acidity underneath and a wonderful woody depth.

Xiaguan teas are especially sensitive to storage conditions. This batch has developed cleaner, more refined aromas than a very dry-stored version would: less smoky, less rustic, with a lighter touch of fruit.

We're happy to offer this tea from the collection of Olivier Schneider, a tea expert with over 20 years of experience researching Pu'er taste, processing and culture. After a decade in Yunnan, he now lives in Thailand, where he cultivates a centuries-old tea garden and continues to explore and experiment with tea, sharing his knowledge through teaching and writing.

Best brewed gong fu style: use a ca. 100ml gaiwan or small teapot with 5-9g of tea (break off as much as needed). Start with a 5-second infusion at 95°C, then add about 5 seconds to each steep that follows. 

100g

producer: Xiaguan Factory Yunnan, China / from the collection of O. Schneider
storage: Natural dry storage (Taiwan)
harvest: 2006, no fermentation (sheng)