"Summit" Thuong Son GuShu Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake (Vietnam 🇻🇳)

Once, the wise Master Lao Cha was embarking on a long pilgrimage deep in the mountains. His apprentices were surprised that he did not bring any tea with him. With a smile, Lao Cha revealed his secret – a fragrant cup of Pu-erh tea from the mountains of Vietnam made by the skillful hands of the Dao people. The tea was picked from ancient trees, grown on high mountain slopes, and possessed a strong alpine forest fragrance, fruity sweetness, and clean taste with minerality. It was the perfect companion for his journey.

A special treat for Pu-erh tea lovers, this addition to our Pu-erh collection comes from the mountain slopes of Vietnam.

Pu-erh tea is a fermented tea from China that originated in Yunnan. While Pu-erh tea's traditional production is limited within Yunnan, other countries, such as Vietnam, have been producing this tea for some time now.

In Vietnam, Pu-erh tea is known as "Sông Trà" or "Trà cổ thụ". Vietnamese Pu-erh tea is made from large-leaf tea trees. Usually, they are wild-growing trees from the Assamica variety. Farmers harvest and process the leaves similarly to Chinese Pu-erh tea. They wither, pan-fry, roll the leaves and shape them into cakes or bricks.

Our Vietnamese Pu-erh tea is made by the Dao people – a local tribe living in the Thượng Sơn. It is a small village in the province of Hà Giang in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam. The production of sheng pu-erh tea in this area is closely tied to the region's natural environment. The region is rich in biodiversity, with a variety of plants and animals living in the surrounding mountains and abundant streams running down the mountain peaks. The village is known for producing high-quality sheng pu-erh tea, made from the leaves of wild old tea trees grown in the mountains.

Tea farmers pick a bud and two to three leaves from wild Assamica trees, growing 1300m above sea level. They wither, pan-fry, roll and dry the leaves in the sun to obtain wild, half-finished maocha. Then, they shape them into tea cakes and let them age and transform.

Sheng pu-erh from Thượng Sơn is known for its unique flavor and aroma profile, distinguishing it from pu-erh teas produced in other regions. The tea leaves from this area are picked from ancient tea trees grown on high mountain slopes, rich in minerals and nutrients, and possess a strong alpine forest fragrance and fruity sweetness.

Our Thượng Sơn Sheng Pu-erh is soft, with plenty of sweetness balanced by green and floral notes. On later brews, it develops a pleasant bite and long-lasting finish. Warmer notes emerge, accompanied by a strong Cha Qi.

In recent years Pu-erh from Vietnam has become all the rage among tea drinkers worldwide. People often compare it to Chinese Pu-erh as a high-quality alternative. It is also favored by those who prefer a milder flavor profile.