Organic Shu Puer Tea (ripe) Mini Portions 120 g

Description

Organic shu puer tea (ripe) mini portions is a very practical product, sold in convenient single servings shaped like squares or small bowls (called Tuo in China). Both formats of this tea are made with leaves from the mountainous Wuliang area, located near the city of Dali in the central-western part of Yunnan. The squares are collected in a paper package containing 2 pieces of 20 g each, while the Tuo come in a cloth bag weighing approximately 120 grams and containing around twenty pieces. Puer pressed into small squares allows the dried leaves to be inspected more easily and the flavours to be spread out over multiple infusions, while the mini Tuo release their flavour more immediately and intensely. As for flavour, the mini portions of shu puer have a fairly persistent fermented taste capable of expressing itself in different ways on the palate. In the first sips, an intensely sweet taste is perceived, followed by various fermented nuances and a fairly full body. In this case, fermentation produces a slight herbal liqueur flavour with woody notes and a slightly balsamic finish. Given these characteristics, the infusion of this conveniently sized puer effectively represents the typical traits of ripe or shu products. Shu Puer Mini Tuo Tea: 120 g package (approximately twenty pieces) Place of origin Wuliang - Yunnan, China Production After harvesting, the leaves are left to wither in the sun for a certain period, depending on the producer, before undergoing the “kill-green” stage, which is broadly similar to that used to produce green tea. The distinctive feature here is that the leaves are not heated as much as they are for green tea, so that certain enzymes capable of modifying the flavours over time are preserved. Once cooked, the leaves are gathered in large quantities and stacked into large piles. The resulting plant mass is moistened and covered with cloths so that heat is retained and the fermentation process can begin. The producer must skilfully move the leaves and lightly wet them from time to time so that fermentation progresses steadily and is distributed as evenly as possible. Once this processing, which can last from 20 to 70 days, is complete, the leaves are spread out and left in contact with the air so that the microorganisms responsible for fermentation dry out and die, leaving the finished product. At this point, the puer may optionally be pressed to give it the best conditions for transport and ageing. To press the leaves, they are exposed for a few seconds to a strong jet of steam, making them soft on the outside, and are subsequently pressed into the shape of a small bowl or square. To ensure that this structure remains fixed over time, the bag is left for hours under a stone or mechanical press while the leaves lose the residual moisture absorbed from the steam during the previous stage. Preparation We strongly recommend infusing this tea using the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. With this preparation, place a mini Tuo or square in a gaiwan of about 100 ml to obtain several infusions with different flavours. After a brief preliminary rinse at 100°C to begin separating the leaves properly from their compressed shape, proceed with a first infusion of 10 seconds and then, keeping the water at the same temperature, increase the time by 5 seconds each time compared with the previous infusion (10 - 15 - 20…). This tea lasts for approximately 7 infusions. For a classic Western-style preparation, we recommend one mini Tuo in a 200 ml cup with water at 100°C for an infusion time of two minutes. It would still be preferable to rinse it beforehand for approximately 15 seconds to make the most of the flavours of the leaves inside the Tuo or square. The tea can be strained for easier tasting, and the infusion times given above are purely indicative, so they can also be adjusted according to personal taste. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.