At 1800 m elevation, the temperature difference between day and night can easily be over 15°C even on a hot summer day. That is deep in the mountains in He Song of the Bada Region in Xishuangbanna. Leaves grow much slower here, accumulated in them a little bit more plant protein, and the rich minerals from the pristine mountain soils. Whole sun-withered leaves are plucked from these native tea trees to process and mature into this premium grade shu cha pu’er. Presenting Bada 2007. Possibly the richest, deepest, and yet roundest post-fermented tea there is. Bada 2007 has a deep, woody aroma with accents of sun-dried lychee, liquorice root and jujube. The dark, smooth, sweet infusion has a silky mouthfeel and impressive depth rounded with a slight touch of umami and brightened with tones of fennel seeds, liquorice root, dates and mandarin orange. The refreshing aftertaste on the palate and sweetness at the top of the throat suggest liquorice root and mandarin orange.
Ingredients: Vintage Shu Puerh Tea
Origin: Yunnan Province, China
The Bada tea growing area is located approximately 60km to the west of Menghai in southwest Yunnan Province. Bada Mountain is at the border of Xishuangbanna and Myanmar. It is a mountain area in the truest sense, with 100% of its territory being mountainous. Its highest elevation reaches 2,249 meters, and its lowest is along the banks of the Nanlan River at 668 meters. The yearly average temperature is 17°C, and relative humidity is 85%. Bada’s high, empty mountains and deep rivers cover a vast area. Today it contains the largest old growth forest in Xishuangbanna. Bada’s Xiaohei Mountain is also one of the primary wild animal habitats in Xishuangbanna. The Bada wild tea tree in Hesong village has been proclaimed “the king of tea trees.” It is 34 meters tall and its primary trunk spreads out 3.8 meters and is approximately 1 meter in diameter. It is the largest currently known wild tea tree. The Bada ancient tea gardens are concentrated near Manmai Village and occupy nearly 2000mu. Every year between April and October, thick fog shrouds all of Bada Mountain. Tea can be harvested ten months out of the year. During the 1980’s, Menghai Tea Factory built a nearly 10,000mu tea plantation in Bada.
Bada can be infused using a conventional approach at a ratio of 2:100, 1:100 or even fewer tealeaves for 5 minutes, however, this tea plays wonders when prepared to more strength yet no bitterness or astringency. Use the gongfu style for a progression of changes, long infusion to experience its maximum impression. A well-seasoned Yixing pot would be ideal, but not necessary; this tea is really fine enough to stand on its own.
In contrast to preparing other kinds of tea Puerh does not require a long infusion time. Rather, all Puerh tea is traditionally prepared in the gongfu style using an Yixing teapot or a gaiwan with a high leaf to water ratio and many short infusions. We recommend using between 5 and 8g per serving. The first infusion rinses and "wakes up" the tea and is then discarded. According to one school of thought subsequent infusions are brewed in sort of a "touch and go" style. As soon as the water is poured, the lid is replaced and the tea liquor is immediately poured into a chahai, or serving pitcher. We recommended accumulating the 1st and 2nd infusions in the pitcher in order to even out the flavor and taste. For each subsequent brewing, no more than 5 to 30 seconds is recommended. By brewing in this fashion you will get as many as 20 infusions. The other school of thought is slightly different with respect to the timing. This one starts with an infusion time of 30 seconds, increasing the time with each subsequent infusion. Using this method will provide 8 to 10 infusions. Fortunately, both methods produce a delicious tea, so you can easily play with it until you find your own preference.
