Chonyï - Blended Shu Puer Cake
As a continuation of our three part shu* puer Bardo series, Chonyï is the second cake of this journey, inspired by the overwhelming clarity that the soul is said to experience, fully delivered from its earthly tethers.
It was from this vantage point where we set to free ourselves from our own biases around ripe puer (since Western notions of shu puer are at odds with what people in Yunnan are making for domestic consumption) and try our hand at blending a shu cake that fit closer to Chinese standards.
With this in mind, we blended two vintages of Menghai shu puer with a small amount of Guo Gan, using the same vintage that we used for our Chikhai cake, but a larger leaf grade. With notes of molasses, milk chocolate and chaga mushroom, this tea is designed to elicit a subtle pull from first cup, drawing the drinker inward towards the endless unfolding.
* - (AKA shou, ripe, cooked)
Tea - 2015 & 2016 Menghai material blended with 2019 Gou Gan
Location - Menghai, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province & Gou Gan, Myanmar
Pressed in Menghai September 2024
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
- Gong Fu - This tea works great in both porcelain and semi porous vessels. Since it is a cake, we recommend breaking off a piece and separating the leaf gently with your hands. Fill about a third of the vessel with dry leaf. Grandpa style is possible, but with the recommendation of less is more.
- Western - We strongly believe that this tea is best suited for Gong Fu style brewing. If you are not familiar, yet still interested in this tea, we suggest doing a little research on equipment needed and overall brew philosophy before jumping in.