The Old Way

This tea earned its place in the Vault partly because of where it comes from. Nannuo Mountain is the setting for The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, the first selection in Living Tea's book club and an astonishingly beautiful book — a must-read for any tea lover, especially anyone drawn to pu'er. Sourcing a tea from that specific mountain felt like the right way to bring the story back to the cup.

Nearly four decades of age have carried this Nannuo tea toward the elegance the region is known for. It's a patient tea, asking for water just short of a boil and longer steeps to fully open. The first two or three infusions still gathering shape, and it isn't until the fourth or fifth that it really finds its stride. From there, dry cedar, sandalwood, and camphor move through dark honey, dried fruit, and a deep medicinal sweetness. The liquor turns smooth, silky, creamy, and cooling, closing on a composed, structured finish. We recommend two tuochas per session.

Nannuo teas are often placed on a kind of middle path. They’re less bold than Bulang, more structured than much of Yiwu, and with age, capable of true elegance. This tea is a clear expression of that character. Its energy is calm and centered, expanding quietly rather than announcing itself, and it continues to deepen in the body and in the attention long after the cup is empty. This is a subtle tea rather than a bold one, and it rewards being approached that way. The flavors are gentle and deep rather than assertive. If you come to it looking for something loud, you'll miss what it's actually doing.

For a tea of this age, we're glad to be able to offer it at a price this accessible. It's gentle and smooth.

Nannuo Mountain Mini Tuocha- Aged Sheng Puerh - 1988