Shu Pu-erh ‘Wine from the Trees’ (Mu Ye Chun Gong Ting), Mengku, 2016, 400 g.

A dry, tightly compressed cake. Under the wrapper, you’ll find fairly small leaf material, buds, and leaves.

When dry, its aroma gives little hint of what it truly is. But once warmed in teaware, you’ll immediately notice a sweet, slightly astringent fragrance reminiscent of fennel — fresh yet dense at the same time, with a cherry–prune base.

Due to the tight compression, it’s best to either break it into smaller pieces in advance or steep it a bit longer.

The liquor is reddish-brown. The taste begins with woody notes, then spreads into a dense layer of sweet fruit. The aftertaste leaves a sensation of sweet spices with a slight cooling touch.

A refined shu pu-erh — rich, flavorful, and invigorating.