Bamboo trees are abundant in the area where our Zhu Lin Zhai tea grows. Our Zhu Lin is harvested from ancient tea trees 200-600 years old. We particularly enjoy the bright, round dried stone fruit notes we get from this tea.
Zhu Lin means bamboo forest, referring to the abundance of bamboo trees in the area. Zhu Lin Zhai is among the top three in the number of ancient tea trees in Nan Nuo Shan, making it an outstanding terroir of this ancient tea mountain.
Teas from the west of Lan Cang river are typically known for their more forward, robust, and substantial profile. Nan Nuo Shan is mainly known for its weighty mouthfeel and subdued aroma.
Zhu Lin Zhai is made of Qun Ti Da Ye Zhong (Heirloom Large Leaf) material. Pu Er making follows a typical green tea process; that's why it is academically classified as a sun-dry green tea. Pu Er picking is usually one bud with two or three leaves. The teas are generally shade wilted to lose some moisture before being wok-fried in a large batch. The large batch of Pu Er being processed each time is the "mistake" that causes the tea's enzyme not to be damaged thoroughly, providing the basis for aging Pu Er later on. The hot and moist tea leaves are then rolled and shaped quickly before being evenly spread out under the sun to dry. Aggressively intense sun is the most preferred in Pu Er making.
