Karst Spring Shu Pu'er

Tea Type: Shu Pu'er
Origin: Yunnan Province, China
Grower/Producer: Li Shulin & Family

Shu pu'er tea is tea that has been post-fermented, meaning that after the oxidation process is over and the tea has lost all of its green color, it is then deliberately fermented to slightly break down and develop a new flavor.

This tea is handmade by Li Shulin and his family. This particular harvest is from the spring of 2025, and the dry leaves smell of wet earth and moss - which may be an odd thing to say, but with post-fermented tea, that dankness indicates that the fermentation has gone well. The aroma reminds me of a cave with pools of water, hence the name Karst Spring, which refers to the opening at the end of a water-filled cave system.

When hot, the dry leaves emit a smell like fresh dough, a pastry-like aroma that fills the chest as you inhale. After the first round of boiling water is added and drained, the dank, cave-like fades, as it becomes part of the flavor of the tea liquor. 

The tea that steeps off of these leaves tastes rich and earthy; moss and mushroom, with the smooth sweetness signature of post-fermentation.

This tea can handle many long steeps.