Liu Bao Hei Cha is a unique relative to pu’er from Guangxi that gets a deep oxidation before classic fermentation technique is applied. The slow oxidation and clean relatively-dry shu pu’er style fermentation yields a deliciously rich, clean and smooth tea with sticky rice aromatics, and cooling woody foresty aftertaste.

Rose petals have become a highly traditional pairing with shu pu’er, and Longyuanhao workshop’s pressing is a wonderful example of how these two flavors can work together in harmony. The florals of rose are already deep and textural. When they combine with a clean high quality shu pu’er, over time they bring out vaporous spice and texture in the tea. Longyuanhao's slow clean fermentation means this tea is not weighed down, but rather unfolds delightfully on the pallet, bolstered by nearly two decades of aging.

Yongming Workshop loves focusing on single origin cakes, highlighting what makes a region iconic, leaning on their decades of sourcing connections for access to leaf material like this- hand-picked from trees up to five hundred years old, growing wild in the prized Banzhang region. For pile fermentation, Yongming brings in specially selected spring water to add moisture and encourage deep dark flavor for this cake in a way that complements the tea's natural aroma. Picked in 2017, this tea was pressed in 2022 after aging loose for an even rich complexity.

Bulangshan is known for rich, cooling teas packed with zhang xiang or “camphor aromatics.” Ju Ming Workshop is a small producer befriended by Wang Yanxin on her lifelong search to find under-represented labels doing more interesting work than the big brands. Several years of age give this shu pu’er that Bulangshan cooling sensation, along with notes of brown sugar milk tea, allspice, cedar, caramel apple, and vanilla.

Yun Cha Ke Zhi Ze Ren Handmade Tea Company is a small producer befriended by Wang Yanxin on her lifelong search to find under-represented labels doing more interesting work than the big brands. This Tuocha has no age statement. It has been in Wang Yanxin’s personal cellar for years. Based on the flavor profile, we estimate between 2006 and 2008. The flavor has a deep “old pu’er” quality with notes of incense, chocolate, plantain and cooling spearmint.

This is a unique offering from the Banzhang Laoshu Workshop. As their name suggests, they are based in famous Banzhang, not Bingdao, but their work in Banzhang gives them connections to stunning producers in Bingdao. This is their unique blend, balanced from a “Banzhang” perspective but with famously cooling (and sought-after) Bingdao leaf material. Over a decade of age gives this shu pu’er a rich, sweet cooling aftertaste. Notes of sticky rice, caramel, cinnamon, elderberry and vanilla.

Wang Yanxin has been working with small producer Wan Yuan Workshop for years. She loves the unexpected complexity of their teas and the fact that they aren’t one of the over-represented brands out there. As a smaller producer, they are able to put out much higher quality work and deliver that value in tea, not marketing budget. This old tree shu pu’er harvest has a deep, aged quality with notes of cardamom, dried fig, lotus, cucumber and brown sugar with a sparkling texture.