Pu-erh Teas

This is a tea named after the Pu-erh region in Yunnan. It is unusual in that it is frequently aged and it is not uncommon for Pu-erh teas to be listed by vintage, sometimes aged for 20, 30 or even 50 years. Leaves from ancient old forests with tall tea trees are often the origin of this tea. Pu-erh is also different from other teas because it can be classified by grade, shape, region as well as season. It can be in loose leaf form, compressed bricks, the well-known Tuo-cha (nest or bowl), cakes and other assorted shapes. In its unripened form, pu-erh is technically a type of green tea but as it ages, natural fermentation takes place through the process of ripening. It is often mistakenly categorized as a a black teaa because of its appearance but it is in a category of its own.