Tangyan Burma Raw Tea Cake Vintage 2019

Origin: Tangyan, Shan State, Burma
Cultivar: Indigenous Assamica Broad-leaf
Elevation: 1500m
Harvest: Vintage 2019

Tangyan is the major town of Tangyan Township in Shan State, Burma. The region is located in the valley of a very mountainous area and is populated largely with the Palaung people who also live in Yunnan Province and Northern Thailand. The Palaung have always been tea drinkers. Historically, every family would grow their own tea bush in the garden, along with fruits like mango and jackfruit.

The Tea Horse Road was a system of caravan paths winding through the mountains of Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet in Southwest China. This was also a tea trade route and let to the trade and sales of post-fermented, aged cakes we frequently see as Pu’er tea in the market. However, this style of aged tea is not limited only to Pu’er County in Yunnan, China, but the tradition can be seen in surrounding areas that were also indigenous to tea and along the Tea Horse Road. This raw tea cake would be considered a sheng style cake in Chinese tradition (sheng translates as “raw”). The 2019 raw tea cake is from 100-150 year old trees and is hand-roasted in a metal pot and sun-dried. The take is compressed into cakes using stone molds to allow for ease of storage while aging.

In this vintage, we are tasting petrichor with a savory, bright and fresh energy featuring single multi-florals similar to classic Iris & Orchids “Zhi Lan Xiang” tea fragrance and some slight roast resonance.


Chip the cake carefully with a pick or Pu’er dagger.
Add 7g - 8g to a Gaiwan or Gongfu teapot (per 150ml-200ml).
Use 212°F boiling water.
Briefly rinse leaves for 5 - 10 seconds. Decant and discard this rinse infusion.
Proceed to infuse the tea using boiling water. Enjoy each infusion individually and savor the flavors of each round.
 
Decant 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th infusions after 20 - 30 seconds. The tea infuses fast and gives out its strength in the beginning of the session. Brew the tea several times until the taste weakens.
 
Increase the infusion time to your taste preference after you become familiar with the tea. The bitterness, strength, power and Qi forces will come out in the later brews with increased infusion time.