Jingmai 'nutty' shu puer

Jingmai 'nutty' shu puer is a lighter (mild-medium) fermented shu puer that delicately crosses genre boundaries :-): it retains the soft, caressing sweetness and velvety texture of shu puer, while the cup often brings a nutty, fruity, "sheng-like" fresh sensation. If you're looking for a cleaner, more elegant experience instead of very dark, "oily-black" shus, you've come to the right place.

Origin & Production

• Raw material: Spring 2025 leaves from natural tea gardens (Jingmai).
• Fermentation: June 2025, immediately after maocha production.
• Batch: from a small producer, with a specifically "gentler" fermentation approach, aiming for an aged sheng puer character.

The character of the fermentation is moderately light: the wet leaves look "more maocha-like," less "decomposed," and the cup doesn't overwhelm you like a cellar door – instead, it gently opens and keeps things clear.

What does this mean in practice? A thicker, more active mouthfeel (a rarer treasure in shu), but the tea doesn't aim for infinite endurance: about 5 truly strong infusions are realistic in gongfu – in return, each infusion is pleasant and well-rounded. It can be extended further with longer steeping or boiling.

Flavor Profile – What to Expect?

• Texture: light, fruity, nutty sip, lively sensation in the mouth.
• Main notes: soft sweetness + fruitiness (more towards dried fruit).
• Subtle details: sweet-spicy nuances (e.g., licorice), dried plum impressions, a hint of salty-umami nuttiness.
• Aftertaste: refreshing, slightly "cooler" mouthfeel, sometimes reminiscent of a sheng character.

• Interestingly, this shu consists of lighter-colored leaves and is perhaps "halfway" between sheng and shu – making it particularly exciting for those who love the freshness of sheng.
• clean, pleasant fermentation character, and definitely not the "fishy-mushroomy" line.
• The tea color is reddish-brown, a refreshing sight.

Preparation

1) Asian / Gongfu (recommended)

• Dose: 5–7 g / 100–120 ml
• Water: 95–100 °C
• Rinse: 1 quick rinse (5–10 sec), then pour off immediately.
• Infusions: start with 10–15 sec, then gradually increase (15–20–25… sec)

The leaves open easily, so short infusions provide the most beautiful, cleanest curve – it's worth treating it with "sheng logic" in this style.

2) Western (larger tea brewing vessel)

• Dose: 3–4 g / 300 ml
• Water: 95–100 °C
• Steeping: 3–4 minutes (if you prefer it lighter: 2:30)
• Re-steeping: 1–2 times still works well, with a slightly longer time