Sacred Mountains 2021

Pressed in extremely limited quantities, this is one of the few pu'erh cakes we reserve for private collectors. We were fortunate to receive a small number of these tea cakes directly from our mentor in Beijing. Our mentor prefers remote and small-scale, old grove tea gardens. She is very fond of the 小叶种, or "small-leaf varietal," of pu'erh. However, compared to 大叶种, "big leaf varietal," it is far more difficult to source and much lesser known.

The six ancient tea mountains of Yunnan are 攸乐 You Le, 革登 Ge Deng, 倚邦 Yi Bang, 莽枝 Mangzhi, 蛮砖 Manzhuan, and 易武 Yiwu. Sacred Mountain is crafted with tea leaves sourced from two of the oldest and most secluded ones among them, Xikong 习崆 in Yibang 倚邦 and Manzhuan 蛮砖. On account of being so remote, the small number of ancient tea gardens here remain well preserved.

The lesser known, and more primitive 小叶种, "small leaf varietal," of pu'erh trees are indigenous to this region and have been growing naturally in this remote area for thousands of years. Compared to the big leaf varietal, the buds and leaves are smaller, shorter and rounder. The tea brews to a vibrant yellow-green color, and their taste is distinctly gentle and nuanced.

Only around 100 kg of tea are produced from the Xikong terroir for the Spring harvest. To make this tea the first harvest leaves sourced from two ancient tea gardens were blended together. 70% originates from Xikong, where the Pu'erh is known for its gentle orchid notes with soft, honey undertones. The remaining 30% originates from Manzhuan, where the Pu'erh is known for being sweet and smooth with strong energy, and a long, lingering aftertaste. We find all of these characteristics in Sacred Mountain, combined to make something very unusual, and so remarkable.

The liquor from this tea is a strange, light-trapping gold. It is a very balanced tea: as strong as it is sweet. Its more angular floral notes linger for a long time on the palate, giving us an opportunity to breathe them in. The Chinese phrase used to describe the sensation of the tea liquor is 细腻, which translates directly as, fine + intricate + exquisite + smooth + subtle + refined...imagine the synthesis of all of these things in your mouth, that is Sacred Mountain.