2021 Yongde Hand-Braided Sheng Pu'er
Size
Tea Profile
| Tea Type | Raw Pu'er (Sheng Pu'er 生茶) |
|---|---|
| Style | Traditional Hand-Braided Sheng (辫子茶) |
| Origin | Yongde County, Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China |
| Harvest | 2021 |
| Processing | Sun-dried large-leaf maocha, hand-braided using traditional techniques |
| Leaf Material | Yunnan large-leaf tea (云南大叶种) |
| Production | Produced by Yongde Xiulin Pu'er Tea Factory; dated 28 April 2021 |
Origin and Character
This distinctive raw Pu'er is produced in Yongde County, one of Lincang's established tea-growing areas. Rather than being compressed into a conventional cake, the leaves are carefully hand-braided into traditional ropes, preserving their visual integrity and creating one of Yunnan's most distinctive tea presentations.
Its development since 2021 has brought the tea into a beautifully integrated stage. Gentle baked orchard fruit gradually gives way to cedar, sandalwood, fine incense and a striking resinous character, all supported by a crystalline mineral backbone. Throughout the session, the tea remains composed, layered and exceptionally persistent.
Aroma and Flavour
| Aroma | Dry tobacco, cedar, sandalwood, incense, forest honey and baked orchard fruit |
|---|---|
| Liquor | Clear golden amber |
| Flavour | Resin, sandalwood, cedar, dark forest honey, peach cobbler, lemon verbena and crystalline mountain minerality |
| Mouthfeel | Viscous, silky and mouth-coating |
| Finish | Exceptionally long, with lingering incense, resin, gently transformative bitterness and warming mineral sweetness |
✦ The Astraluna Perspective ✦
Some teas impress through intensity. Others through complexity. This tea impressed us through its remarkable sense of harmony.
Every element feels connected. Forest honey supports the cedar, the cedar carries the incense, and the incense merges into resin, while a steady mineral backbone holds everything together from the first infusion to the last. Its gentle bitterness never overwhelms; instead, it transforms into a lingering sweetness that defines the tea's character. Combined with its traditional hand-braided craftsmanship and exceptional longevity, this is a Sheng Pu'er that invites slow, contemplative drinking and rewards careful attention.
Brewing Notes
| Method | Leaf | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gongfu | 6–7 g per 120 ml | 100°C | 10 sec, then gradually extend |
| Western | 4–5 g per 250 ml | 100°C | 3–4 min |
For a complete method, read How to Brew Raw Pu'er.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry and odour-free place away from direct sunlight, moisture and strong aromas. Keep sealed between sessions. Under suitable conditions, the tea may continue to develop greater depth in its resinous, woody and mineral character over time.