Frequently asked questions
These are the questions we are often asked. Here are the answers we would give over a cup.
Pu'er is a post-fermented tea produced exclusively in Yunnan, in southwest China, from large-leaf tea trees. It is the only tea in the world named after a place rather than a process.
What sets it apart is its fermentation: a transformation driven by living micro-organisms, which lets it improve with time.
Lire l'article →Raw Pu'er (sheng) evolves naturally over the years: lively and floral when young, it drifts toward woody notes and dried fruit with time. Ripe Pu'er (shou) comes from accelerated fermentation, soft and round from the start.
Many people begin with shou: more immediate, more welcoming.
Lire l'article →A small vessel (a gaiwan or a 100 to 150 ml teapot), water just off the boil, about 6 grams of tea. Steep for a few seconds, lengthening a little with each infusion.
A good Pu'er can be re-steeped ten times and more, and each cup tells something different.
Lire l'article →It all depends on the tree, the terroir and the work. True ancient trees, sometimes several centuries old, yield leaves of a richness that plantations cannot reproduce. Picking is done by hand, yields are low, and processing is artisanal.
Be wary of labels too good to be true at prices too low: counterfeiting is rife in the world of Pu'er.
Lire l'article →Traditional Chinese medicine has credited Pu'er with virtues tied to digestion and inner balance for centuries. Recent research is exploring these avenues, notably around the gut microbiota.
It is first of all a tea, not a remedy, but a tea that tradition places very close to care.
Lire l'article →Pu'er is easygoing, and the French climate suits it well. The only real rule: keep it away from odours.
Our recommendation: an earthenware jar with a cotton cloth between the lid and the jar. The tea ages quietly there.
Lire l'article →Our teas come from ancient trees in the Mengku area, fixed by hand in a wood-fired wok and dried in the sun. We are on site six months a year, from picking to processing.
These are not teas we buy: they are teas we make.
Lire l'article →If you like soft, round flavours, a ripe Pu'er is a good first step. If you like bold tastes, a young raw Pu'er will surprise you with its liveliness.
Either way, start with a quality tea, even in a small amount.
Lire l'article →We ship worldwide. Delivery takes 2 to 3 working days in mainland France (free from €40) and generally 7 to 21 days for international orders, with shipping calculated at checkout.
You receive tracking as soon as your order ships, packed with care.
Write to us via the Contact page: we answer ourselves, gladly.
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