Given the right quality, a shu cha yields a deep burgundy infusion which taste can be sweet and smooth with a soft, earthy character, while that of a shengcha can be crystal clear gold, with a body that is bright, sharp and floral. It seems like they are not the same category of teas, yet as the convention goes, we have put them under the same roof. Here are all the selections for you to have a broad view. Please go to each subcategory for more targeted product search. Read more…
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Cream of Pu’er 2015, naturally formed shu cha tea nuggets
Tea, Pu'er teas, Yunnan, Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy$ 25.10Spring Cha Tou:
During the many re-shufflings of the leaves in the post-fermentation process, some of the most tender leaf shoots with naturally higher percentage of pectin stick together, forming these small nuggets. Since they have the highest concentration of vitality substances but less bitter ones as the youngest of the leaves, ‘cha tou’ tastes smoother, sweeter and softer. Tea Hong’s top quality Cream of Puer is made only from prime spring harvests for even better taste and health compositions. A real treat for people who enjoy shu cha pu’er.
Net weight: 150 g (5.3 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Yiwu Large Leaf 2013, partially post-fermented Pu’er shengcha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 24.00Natural partially post-fermented Pu'er:
Produced using raw material from Yunnan indigenous trunk tea tree and darkened through optimum maturity, Tea Hong’s Yiwu Large Leaf is not only a fine representation of ancient style dark tea, but also a unique gastronomic experience and a great digestive. Because of our proprietary maturing process, its quality compares superlatively against other shengcha well matured for many longer years. A rare quality to impress without depressing the wallet.
Net weight: 70 g (2.5 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack -
Old Comrade “7548” 2007, matured Pu’er shengcha cha bing
Compressed tea, Floral Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 52.10 – $ 347.0045 years of refined tea mastery
When I first entered Zao Bing Liang’s tasting room, the air is filled with the freshness of the aroma of maocha. Bags of samples from newly collected loose leaves lined up in rows, each marked with a numeric code. The teas were trucked in from the various mountains in the region. Some maybe less than 30 minutes away, others can be a full day. Yunnan is over 10% larger even than the whole of Germany and tea trees exist in almost all of its mountains. Some of these maochas are from highly sought after famous villages or mountains, which will be individually made into products carrying their origin names to demand very high market prices. A new discus from Ban Zhang, for example, can easily be fetching thousands of dollars. Aged ones are even much pricier. Yet there are more others from not as highly demanded origins, but also taste worthy. That’s where Zao’s “formulae” come in. Since the 1970’s, the old master has developed a number of recipes for ganging up harvests from origins of lesser known names for more affordable delicious teas. 7548 is the code name for his most prized and classic shengcha formula. These bags of samples in lines were there for the old master to finalise which batches and what proportion for the mix. He does that every harvest, for every product. Presenting the 7548 cha bing from Lao Tong Zhi ( ie Old Comrade ), Master Zao’s very own tea brand. Batch 701 is the first batch of year 2007. That means the best of the year and matured till now. It is a prime product of old Master Zao’s passion for bringing quality to more people without the price tag of premium origin labels.
There are two product variants to choose from:
A single discus of 357g net weight in the original paper wrap, or a traditional vending form of 7 cha bings bundled in a bamboo sleeve, net weight totalling 2.5 kg.
Please click below to see either options. -
Bada 2011, Pu’er shu cha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Home, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 26.70Traditional Premium Shu Cha :
At 1800 m elevation, the temperature difference between day and night can easily be over 15°C even on a hot summer day. That is deep in the mountains in He Song of the Bada region in Xishuangbanna. Leaves grow much slower here, accumulated in them a little bit more plant protein, and the rich minerals from the pristine mountain soils. We pick whole sun-withered leaves from these native tea trees to process and mature into our premium grade shu cha pu’er. Presenting Bada, possibly the richest, deepest, and yet roundest post-fermented tea there is.
Net weight: 120 g (4.2 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Bulang Old Tree 2011, Pu’er shu cha bing
Compressed tea, Floral Aromas, Neutral-Warm Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 40.40 – $ 252.00Stone Mortar Pressed Shu Cha Bing
Post-fermentation in pu’er production is like black tea processing in that it gives sweetness, roundness and body to a tea, although it is a far more specialised, time-consuming and difficult method to master. The result, however, is a shu cha possible of a far more complex and intriguing taste profile. To achieve that, we need to begin with a good raw material. That’s where the old tea tree forests in Bulang Mountain comes in. The diversity in these wild growing trees and the deep rich soils they grow in offer leaves that are not only rich in polyphenols, but also minerals and amino acids that are the prerequisites for an outstanding tea. That is why the subregion is one of the most renowned in Yunnan. Tea Hong has selected a very small workshop who respects the process so much that they even manually compress the post-fermented tealeaves using traditional style stone mortars rather than a pneumatic press. Their mastery results in a very firmly formed cha bing with a deep full body. Presenting Tea Hong’s Bulang Old Tree 2011. Handpicked first flush painstakingly post-fermented for 75 days before compression. Den matured at Tea Hong for those who want a lot from their shu cha pu’er.
There are two product variants to choose from:
A single discus of 357g net weight in the original paper wrap, or a traditional vending form of 7 cha bings bundled in a bamboo sleeve, net weight totalling 2.5 kg.
Please click below to see either options. -
Imperial Golden Tip 2013, Pu’er shu cha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 24.50Menghai Fine Leaf Classic Pu’er:
The full body and fine taste of Imperial Golden Tip is possible only because of the foundation of a fine tippy tea, a masterfully and patiently executed post-fermentation processing and a specialistic approach in maturing. A great value for the level of taste it delivers. An optimal choice for the health benefits of pu’er tea.
Net weight: 100 g (3.5 oz) in Kraft Alu Pack -
Raw Reserve 2009, partially post-fermented Pu’er shengcha
Denser Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 12.80Old Style Dark Tea:
Fine pu’er tea produced by darkening shengcha (raw tea, or maocha) naturally through maturity has a distinct and pleasant herbaceous high note. It is a lost art that mass production has come to replace. To deliver the pleasant tasting effect of Tea Hong Raw Reserve requires much specialistic attention in the process that is not common in the trade nowadays. This is what good pu'er used to taste like before controlled post-fermentation.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pillow pack -
Menghai Spring 2004, Pu’er shu cha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 19.90Private Reserve Classic Pu’er:
Maturing of dark tea demand good scientific understanding of the process and experienced selection of initial batches. We have devised a special approach to deliver quality incomparable by others at even higher price points. Tea Hong’s Menghai Spring is prized for its dark liquor with a silkily smooth body but without being too soft. A classic representation of fine “shu cha” puer.
Net weight: 100 g (3.5 oz) in Kraft Alu Pack -
Lao Ban Zhang 2016, aged Pu’er shengcha cha bing
Compressed tea, Cool Energy, Fuller Bodies, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 64.40 – $ 408.00Renowned origin harvest by a small producer
Lao Ban Zhang is one of the, if not the most sought after origin for premium pu’er. Rather like pursuing a rare wine, people don’t expect a sweet or easy palatial experience but one with character and strength. The tea is known for its long lasting linger. Some refer to it as “cha qi”. A really good one from the “old estate” costs a crazy fortune nowadays. Yet one from a good fringe area by a small workshop can be a lot more accessible. Let us know how you like this compared with other pu’ers.
Net weight per discus: 357 g (12.6 oz)
Please choose if you'd like a single discus or the whole stack: -
Bulang Maocha 2016, Pu’er shengcha
Home, Lighter Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er loose leaf shengcha, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 15.50Forest Tree Tea:
Deep in the mountains in Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan tea trees grow wild amongst other woods and plants in Bulang Shan. Ethnic mountain people, particularly women, bring with them wood ladders and a plank for platform for plucking in tea season, perhaps as it has always been since antiquity. As a continuation of this tradition, Bulang Silver Spring is hand-processed and slow dried over wood charcoal the same way. This shengcha puer is bright and refreshing when consumed as a new tea, or can be put away for maturity.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack -
Bing Dao 2014, matured Pu’er shengcha cha bing
Compressed tea, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 81.00 – $ 515.00Stone-pressed first flush from old trees
Old native tea trees populate the rich forests in Lincang, a revered sub-region in Yunnan. Productions from the most famous mountains here almost always come from inside an area called Mengku. One mountain is Bing Dao, which is in fact the name of a lake 1400 meter above sea level. Mountains surrounding this long stretch of water, enriched by the ecology, yield tea leaves rich in minerals and amino acids. Bing Dao is not famous for floral nor fruitiness, but for the power and length of its “cha qi” — tea energy. Tea Hong’s house matured Bing Dao is a top quality representation of the name at an exceptionally friendly price. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster's Box: Shengcha Pu'er Cha Bings.
Net weight per discus: 357 g (12.6 oz)
Please choose if you'd like a single discus or the whole stack: -
Bang Xie Maocha 2007, Pu’er shengcha
Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er loose leaf shengcha, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 24.30Whipping Rattan Tea
In historical herbal literature, tea is referred to as bitter, “extremely cold” to the body constituents, but effectively detoxicating. That basically is what is the raw tea leaf. While green tea is cooked, and most white tea is from plants that are severely tamed through breeding, Pu’er maocha maybe the closest thing one can get commercially nowadays for what the ancients had referred to. Yet in order to offer a tea that is taste worthy, we have to find plants that are strong and soil that is rich to provide that potential. And dry those leaves from the first flush and age them well to round off all the edges and deepen the tastes. A Whipping Rattan Tea bush is such pruned that buds just flush in the tips of its few branches. All the plant’s nutrients are thus focused in these few young leaves. We think that would be good raw material for us to process and age. Presenting the very special Whipping Rattan Bang Xie Maocha, aged since 2007. A unique Pu’er tea in every way.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack -
Mini Tuo 2018, shu cha pu’er
Compressed tea, Denser Aromas, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 10.30A single dose, easy tasting post-fermented tea
Take these little studs to the dimsum restaurant for a real cup of tea to go with those savoury morsels. Or on a trip, or any place where you may make tea only in a mug, or even in a thermo flask. Because of its convenient form of package, there are countless makes of mini tuo in the market. Of all those we have screened, Haiwan’s Old Comrade has always come out as the best in taste. This compact 5 gram single dose yields a sweet, round body with surprisingly fullness. More so considering the very friendly price.
Net weight: approx 120 g (4.2 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Tea Taster’s Box: Shengcha Pu’er Cha Bings
Compressed tea, Cool Energy, Fuller Bodies, Pu'er teas, Tea, YunnanIf perhaps breaking that beautifully formed tea discus is a little too harsh for your sensitivity, or a bit too inconvenient for your precious teatime, we are doing the job for you; Tea Hong’s Shengcha Pu’er Cha Bings Tea Taster’s Box is a collection of 4 of our tea discuses each in a 30 gram package in small chunks. Now you can sample our most prized Pasha 2013 plus three others high price varieties at the price of an average cha bing. Since we break one piece of each at a time by hand so as to keep the chunks freshly chipped, there are 9 packs only each time. Be prepared for sudden out of stock until we can do the chipping again. Have fun tasting! Contents: 4 packs of chipped cha bing, approx 30 g net weight each pack, in corrugated card box$ 59.80 -
Yiwu Maocha 2017, Pu’er shengcha
Cold Energy, Floral Aromas, Pu'er loose leaf shengcha, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 13.90Famous Origin
It is said that the indigenous people in Yiwu Mountain began using tea for its medicinal purposes in the third century. The cure would soon became a beverage habit and later a trading commodity. Regardless of history, Yiwu is indeed one of the most renowned region in Yunnan for the tea’s fragrance. We have discovered a great value batch to share with you for a taste of this character without the usual unreal price tag. By design, there are two younger teas in this Puer Maocha series and this is one of them. Some people like their maocha fresher, while others prefer it aged. Enjoy!
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Shenshan Laoshu 2012, matured Pu’er shengcha cha bing
Compressed tea, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 59.00 – $ 374.00Deep Mountain Old Trees
There are harvests from less than famous areas that can be taste worthy. That is why each producer has their own products carrying more generic names as “Deep Mountain Old Trees”, and sell them at much lower price than those with names from more sought after mountains. Some are better value than others. To me, I think this Shenshan Laoshu from Huimin Tea Factory is worth at least three times its ticket value for a body and aroma worthy of a place in the famous mountain rank. It is actually one the best generic name discus we have ever tasted, regardless of the price. One reason they can do that is their collection points spreading deep in Lincang, an area famous for its many famous tea mountains. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster's Box: Shengcha Pu'er Cha Bings.
Net weight per discus: 357 g (12.6 oz)
Please choose if you'd like a single discus or the whole stack: -
Pasha 2013, matured Pu’er shengcha cha bing
Compressed tea, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 280.00 – $ 1,813.00Zou Bing Liang’s master piece
In the first decade of my tea career I used to neglect shengcha puer as an over-hyped lot. Poor products flooded so much of the market that the category alienated itself from me as a tea lover. Pasha changed all that. Its beautiful complexity converted me. From there on I have made a conscious effort in screening true gems amidst crowds of trite. ( Isn’t that true in all other tea varieties as well?) Shengcha from various subregions now has earned a place in my own repertoire. That from Pasha, however, is still my most preferred. Master Zou’s ( Lao Tong Zhi ) team has certainly done a very good job in making this cha bing. This batch was exactly the same one that I tasted in his workshop in Yunnan and when I was converted and decided that I would carry the tea. These years of maturing have most wonderfully brought more depth and body to both the aroma and taste. We have set it at the lower market price available anywhere in the hope that more can experience this amazing tea. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster's Box: Shengcha Pu'er Cha Bings. If you are interested, a loose leaf Pu'er shengcha also from Pasha is available in the shop: Pasha Old Tree
Net weight per discus: 500 g (17.6 oz)
Please choose if you'd like a single discus or the whole stack: -
Bai Hua Shu 2012, shengcha Pu’er maocha
Cold Energy, Floral Aromas, Pu'er loose leaf shengcha, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 33.80One Hundred Flower Trees
Going pass the famous Jingmai tea region and deep into the rocky mountains of Lancang Lahu, 1800m above sea level into the turf of the Haqniq ( aka Hani ) tribes, enter the ancient hermit village of One Hundred Flower Trees ( hence the name Bai Hua Shu ). The tougher climate here maybe a little too rough for domesticated tea cultivars, so only indigenous tea trees grow here, and they are really old. The locals say all are at least 200 hundred years. They are harvested only once a year for their first flush. The fresh tea is always very potent. We have matured it for over 10 years to make sure their beautifully tamed characters can be well manifested in your cup.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack
