2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Autumn Huang Shan Gu Shu" Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

“Huang Shan Gu Shu” (literally, Remote Mountain Old Tree) is a rugged mountain area in Jinggu County, Simao, where 100–300 year old assamica tea trees grow wild with little to no human intervention. Unlike many tea areas that harvest four times per year, Huang Shan is harvested only twice annually, allowing the trees more time to gather strength and produce leaf with greater body, aroma, and cha qi. This Autumn 2025 version offers a deep, satisfying expression of Huang Shan character. The cup is pungent, full-bodied, and energetic, with bitterness and sweetness layered together in a way that keeps the tea lively from the first infusion to the last. Autumn material often brings a slightly rounder, more settled profile than spring, while still preserving the strength, thickness, and aging potential that make wild old-tree Jinggu teas so rewarding. Why it’s special Wild old-arbor assamica material (100–300 yrs): Strong, naturally vigorous leaf with depth, stamina, and excellent cha qi. Low harvest frequency: Picked only twice a year, allowing the trees to produce more concentrated and characterful leaf. Autumn harvest character: A little broader, rounder, and more approachable than spring while still showing pungency and structure. Excellent aging prospects: Built to gain sweetness, texture, and integration over time. Small production: Only 50 kg made. Tasting notes Aroma: Wild honey, resin, dried herbs, light wood, and a touch of dark fruit Liquor: Clear golden-amber with a full, glossy body Flavor: Layered bitterness and sweetness intertwined; sugarcane, grain, light fruit skin, and a subtle forest edge Mouthfeel: Thick, coating, and substantial with a strong presence in the mouth Finish & feel: Lingering hui-gan, persistent shengjin (mouthwatering return), and steady warming cha qi Origin & processing Area: Huang Shan, Jinggu County, Simao Prefecture Trees: Wild assamica old arbor, 100–300 years Season: Autumn 2025 Craft: Hand-picked • sun-withered • hand-rolled • sun-dried • stone-pressed Format: 357 g per cake (7 cakes per bamboo-leaf tong) Total production: 50 kg Wrapper: Design by Cath Van Brewing guide (Great water helps. Keep the early steeps measured to let the bitterness and sweetness unfold together.) Gongfu (recommended) 6 g / 100 mL 98–100 °C (208–212 °F) Quick rinse, then 5s • 8s • 10s • 12s • 15s, adding gradually for 10+ infusions Tip: If the bitterness shows too strongly, shorten the first two steeps or lower the temperature slightly to 95–96 °C Western 3–4 g / 300 mL (10 oz) 95–98 °C • 2:00–2:30 2–3 infusions, adding 20–30s each round Grandpa style 1–1.2 g / 100 mL 90–95 °C Top up as you sip. Thick, sweet-bitter, and easy to enjoy slowly. Thermos style 1 gram per 100 ml Use 95C water and steep for 10-15 minutes Aging notes Built to integrate and round out with age. Store in 50-65% RH and 70-90F, in an odor-free area, with minimal airflow. Expect the bitterness to soften, the sweetness to deepen, and the body to become even more textured over 5–15 years. In Summary Name: 2025 “Autumn Huang Shan Gu Shu” Old Arbor Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake Region: Huang Shan, Jinggu County, Simao Prefecture Trees: Wild assamica old arbor, 100–300 years Harvest: Autumn 2025 Process: Traditional raw pu-erh, stone-pressed Net weight: 357 g per cake (7 cakes per tong) Production: 50 kg total Wrapper design: Cath Van In short: A wild old-arbor Jinggu sheng with pungent aroma, thick body, layered bitterness and sweetness, and the kind of strength and structure that make autumn Huang Shan especially satisfying now and even better with age. This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory and has passed the MRL limits for 404 pesticide residues as established by the EU Food and Safety commission. For more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link .