BULANG GONG TING SHU CHA (2024)

This tea comes from Bulang Mountain in Yunnan, one of the core regions of puer tea. The material is picked from large tea trees growing in old gardens and semi-wild areas. Bulangshan is known for strong, deep teas with a thick body and long aftertaste. The local Bulang people have been working with tea here for centuries. In many villages, tea is still part of daily life, not just production.

“Gongting” means “palace grade.” The name appeared in modern times to describe very fine leaf sorting, made mostly of small buds and tiny leaves. It refers to the highest grade in shu puer production, not to actual imperial tribute tea, although the word “palace” creates that association. These small buds ferment faster and more evenly, giving a smoother and cleaner result.

Shu puer itself is a relatively recent style, developed in Yunnan in the 1970s. The process is based on controlled fermentation of maocha. With Gongting material, the piles are more delicate, and the result is usually softer, rounder, and more approachable.

This 2021 Bulangshan Gongting shu has a dense, silky texture. The taste is clean, with notes of dark wood, cocoa, and light sweetness. No rough edges, no sharp bitterness. It is stable, easy to drink, and works well both for daily sessions and for focused tasting.

A classic example of high-grade shu puer from a strong terroir.

Brewing suggestions

• Brew tea with hot water (95°C) in a gaiwan or a teapot made of porous clay.
• The proportion is 6-7 g per 100 ml.
• The time of the first steeping is about 5-7 seconds.
• After that do short steeps (just for 1 second) increasing steeping time for each subsequent step, if necessary.
• You can steep the tea up to 9-10 times.