What Is Sheng Pu Er?
Officially a green tea, Sheng Pu Er is made with a classic green tea method. But its destiny can’t be more different from a typical green tea with its aging potential.
Sheng Pu desirability is directly tied to the age of the tea trees and the location they come from. Highly sought after Pu Er come from trees 200-600 years old planted during Ming and Qing Dynasty, often referred to as da shu cha or gu shu cha. Like all top Chinese teas, the #1 factor to the teas’ value is tied to its terroir, and Pu Er Sheng Cha are named after its terroir as well. This is comparable to naming wine from Champagne, Champagne.
Learn more about Pu Er with our Tea Fundamentals.
History of Guo You Lin
Origin: Guo You Lin, Man Zhuan, Yi Wu, East of Lan Cang River, Xi Shuang Ban Na, Yun Nan Province, China (~1200m elevation)
Usually, Pu Er teas are named after their location – mostly tea mountains or villages. However, this Pu Er does not follow this naming convention. Guo You Lin translates to national forest. Teas harvested from any of China’s national forests throughout Southern Yun Nan are called Guo You Lin. This title also displays their unique status. Guo You Lin teas are some of the hottest Pu Ers in the market in recent years. Our Gui You Lin is harvested from ancient tea trees 200-600 years old. Ancient tea trees are called Gu Shu / Lao Shu in Chinese.
From Man Zhuan Shan
Tea Drunk’s Guo You Lin is harvested from Man Zhuan, one of the ancient tea mountains east of Lan Cang river.
Tasting the 2018 Vintage
Each Guo You Lin tea takes on the characteristics of its terroir. This Guo You Lin tea from Man Zhuan is earthy, full-bodied with herbaceous floral notes such as Osmanthus flowers.
Share Our Passion
If you love this guided tasting, join us monthly with our Educational Tea Club! We deep dive into two teas a month over Zoom. You'll be able to participate live and ask questions and taste the tea together with our community.
Example Curriculum
What You'll Need
To get the most out of this session, we advise having a gong fu brewing set up ready to brew along with. A Gai Wan, Fairness Pitcher, Strainer, and Three Sip Cup is recommended.
You can purchase a full gong fu brewing kit here.
