D-CN-016
Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh Cake
古树生普洱茶饼
Gushu raw pu-erh, from Yunnan, China.
Dark tea (post-fermented)
Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh Cake is strongest on body, smoothness and finish length. Typical tasting words: orchid, apricot, honey, camphor, mineral. Originating from centuries-old cultivated tea gardens preserved by ethnic minorities in Yunnan's mountain ranges, modern market prestige emerged around 2005. Regarded as the pinnacle of pu-erh collecting, revered for its deep sweetness, rich mouthfeel, and longevity over dozens of gongfu infusions.
Also known as Gushu Sheng Bing, Gushu Pu-erh and Old Tree Raw Pu-erh.
The profile
Taste, 0 to 5
Flavour families, 0 to 5
Facts
- Origin
- Yunnan, China
- Plant
- Camellia sinensis var. assamica, old arbor trees (100+ years)
- Harvest
- first spring flush
- Elevation
- high
- Oxidation
- 5 to 12%
- Roast
- unroasted
- Leaf
- compressed
- Price band
- luxury
- Availability
- specialist
- Ageing
- made for ageing
- Forgiving to brew
- 4 of 5
- L-theanine
- high
Made by: withering, then pan-firing, then rolling, then sun-drying, then steaming, then stone-pressing, then drying.
Caffeine
A cup of Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh Cake carries a typical estimate of 50 mg of caffeine, within a range of 35 to 70 mg depending on leaf amount, water temperature and steeping time. Figures are estimates for a 240 ml cup. Better earlier in the day if you are sensitive to caffeine. The caffeine planner turns this into a daily total.
How to brew it
| Method | Leaf | Water | Steeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western, 250 ml | 3 g | 90 to 95 °C | 2 min, 3 min, 4 min |
| Gongfu, 100 ml | 6 g | 95 to 100 °C | Rinse, then 10 s, 10 s, 15 s, 20 s, 25 s, 30 s |
| Cold brew, 250 ml | 2.5 g | Fridge | 8 to 12 hours |
Up to 12 infusions. Scale for your own pot with the brew calculator.
Drinking it
- morning
- afternoon
- meditation
- social
- study_focus
Pairs with nuts, poultry and fruit. Milk: no. Iced: yes. Sweetener: no. Good for beginners: yes.
Tasting words explained
Similar teas
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shares finish length and sweetness - D-CN-007Yiwu Pu-erh
shares finish length and sweetness - D-CN-017Pu-erh Orchid Fragrance
shares finish length and sweetness - W-MW-011Malawi White Tea
shares sweetness and smoothness - D-CN-009Bingdao Pu-erh
shares smoothness and finish length - D-CN-008Menghai Pu-erh
shares body and finish length
More: all dark tea (post-fermented) teas, teas from Yunnan, China, or filter the whole drawer.