2025 Yunnan Sourcing "Mengku Gu Shu Bai Cha" White Tea Cake

First-flush Spring 2025 white tea from old-arbor gardens in Nuo Wu and Ba Wai villages (Mengku, Lincang). Picked and hand-processed by two families we’ve worked with for years, then sun-dried and pressed with a medium-plus compression to lock in aroma and set the tea up for graceful aging. In the cup it’s sweet, thick, and highly aromatic, with an unmistakable lift of cha qi. Why it’s special Old-arbor material from two family gardens in Mengku for depth, sweetness, and stamina Minimalist white-tea craft (long wither, sun-dry) preserves the tippy character and high aromatics Medium-plus compression encourages slow, even development over time Small production: 100 kg total Tasting notes Aroma: wildflower honey, pear/jujube, meadow florals, fresh hay Liquor: pale gold to light apricot; silky-thick, almost creamy texture Flavor: honeyed sweetness and sugarcane over gentle herb and soft grain; a tidy green edge for structure Finish & feel: long hui-gan, steady mouthwatering return, warm and buoyant cha qi Origin & processing Area: Nuo Wu and Ba Wai villages, Mengku County, Lincang Season: April 2025 (first flush) Craft: hand-picked • long wither • sun-dried • pressed with medium-plus compression Brewing guide Gongfu (recommended) 5–6 g per 100 ml 90–98 °C Optional quick wake-up rinse. 5 s • 8 s • 10 s • 12 s • 15 s, then add gradually for 8–10 infusions Western 3 g per 300 ml (10 oz) 90–95 °C for 2–3 minutes 2–3 infusions, adding 20–30 s each round Grandpa style 1–1.2 g per 100 ml 85–95 °C, top up as you sip Easy, honeyed, all-day drinker Cold brew 6–8 g per 1 L Refrigerate 6–8 hours Crisp, pear-honey sweetness with very low astringency Pairing & occasions Lovely with shortbread, lightly salted almonds, mild cheeses, or fresh pears. Great for quiet afternoon sessions and side-by-side tastings with your Mengku shengs to explore processing differences. In Summary Caffeine: Medium Storage: Store in 50-65% RH and 70-90F, in an odor-free area, with minimal airflow. Prefer it to stay as is? Seal the cake. A clay jar or wooden box with minimal airflow is ideal. Aging: built to integrate and round out with age; expect deeper honey/jujube and an even silkier feel over 3–10+ years Region: Mengku, Lincang (Yunnan) Harvest: April 2025, first flush Process: traditional Yunnan white tea (long wither, sun-dried), pressed cake Net weight: 357 g per cake (7 cakes per bamboo-leaf tong) Total production: 100 kg Wrapper: illustration by Patrik Benedičič In short: a family-made, old-arbor white tea from Mengku, thick, sweet, and aromatic now, with the compression and craft to age beautifully. We've also produced a similar tea from the same villages in previous years: 2020 Yunnan Sourcing "Mengku Gu Shu Bai Cha" White Tea Cake 2023 Yunnan Sourcing "Mengku Gu Shu Bai Cha" White Tea Cake 2024 Yunnan Sourcing "Mengku Gu Shu Bai Cha" White Tea Cake This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory for 404 pesticides, and is within the EU MRL limits set for those 404 pesticide residues. For a full list of the 404 pesticides we tested for and more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link .