CNNP is China's biggest, oldest and most famous big pu'er brand. This clout gives them access to a huge range of pu'er from across Yunnan for blending. This sheng pu'er exemplifies their range, pulling in a balanced and complex flavor profile with floral jasmine notes, juicy citrus, and deep lingering redwood spice.

Yuan Wang 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. This single-origin cake highlights the unique, cooling, tingling texture and aftertaste of Bulangshan. Yuan Wang Workshop started with early spring buds from old trees cared for using organic practices. The six plus years of age have allowed this cake to really come into itself with notes of banana cream pie, saffron, tulsi, and white pepper.

Rui Gong 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. They don’t shy away from truly unique blends, pushing a flavor and aroma profile outside of the predictable and classic. This cake uses Banzhang’s famous leaf material, playing on the numbing nutty quality that the region is known for with honeyed undertones and juicy melon, giving it a powerful dynamic quality.

Rui Gong 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. They don’t shy away from truly unique blends, pushing a flavor and aroma profile outside of the predictable and classic. This cake uses Banzhang’s famous leaf material, playing on the numbing nutty quality that the region is known for with honeyed undertones and juicy melon, giving it a powerful dynamic quality.

Yuan Wang 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. This single-origin cake highlights the unique, cooling, tingling texture and aftertaste of Bulangshan. Yuan Wang Workshop started with early spring buds from old trees cared for using organic practices. The six plus years of age have allowed this cake to really come into itself with notes of banana cream pie, saffron, tulsi, and white pepper.

Even within a region as famous as Yiwu, there are certain slopes and peaks whose mineral make-up, sun exposure, and even the way they catch clouds and mist rolling across the mountains in the early morning all come together to make something even more special. Ma Hei is one of those peaks, locally famous for the rich, ridiculously honeyed tea that comes from this tiny region. This cake is as single origin as they get- focusing on such a small grove of tea trees. Jin Tai workshop has outdone themselves. Notes of camphor, whipped cream, nectarine, and sweet mint with a deep honeyed aftertaste.

Wang Yanxin almost never features pu’er from one of the big workshops like this Mengku pressing, but finding decade plus aged true Bingdao sheng pu’er is rare since Bingdao only recently became so wildly famous, and the 2009-2014 era was a “depression” in the pu’er industry where less new cakes were being pressed. She was able to get her hands on this reserve offering in a low market and hold onto it for a decade to offer now. The wild arbor leaf material and high bud ratio gives this tea a wonderfully rocky mineral-laden texture and Bingdao’s iconic cooling aftertaste.

Wang Yanxin has been working with Longyuanhao for twenty years. She first met them when they were still a newer brand, but they’ve picked up awards and respect over the years for their steadfast focus on quality. This tea was picked back in the golden era of sheng pu’er before the pu’er bubble collapsed, meaning that they could focus on the absolute highest quality leaf material and craft possible. Pressings from 2006 across the board have a beautiful quality, but this is something really special. Notes of dried apple, osmanthus, redwood, and sticky rice with a cooling sparkling texture.

This younger sheng from Xingyi workshop is packed with beautiful herbaceous spice and floral notes. With basil, mint, chervil and rose, the first sips are like a Mediterranean garden. As the tea opens up, it reveals a deep juicy cooling mouthwatering quality that hints at incredible complexity that will continue to develop for years to come.