Monkey King teacake | 2016 shou puerh
TASTING NOTES: bittersweet chocolate with stewed plum and toasted hazelnuts
Smooth, aged ripe puerh from TAETEA’s Menghai factory, inspired by the Monkey King. Velvety and earthy, with notes of bittersweet chocolate, stewed plum, and roasted hazelnut. A balanced, energizing tea with mythical character.
100g.
Tea character
Leaf aroma
malted grain, burnt sugar, dried jujube
Cup aroma
chocolate fudge, roasted barley, black cherry
Flavor
bittersweet chocolate with stewed plum and a finish of toasted hazelnuts
Tea story
Wu Kong (悟空) — a name that echoes the legendary Monkey King, full of strength, playfulness, and transformation. This 2016 ripe puerh brick from the TAETEA (Dayi) Group draws inspiration from the same mythical spirit: bold but balanced, energetic yet meditative.
Produced by the famed Menghai Tea Factory in Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna, Wu Kong was crafted using carefully fermented large-leaf material from Yunnan’s ancient tea trees. The leaves underwent the traditional wet-piling (wo dui) method and were then pressed into a tightly packed 100g brick designed for aging and daily use.
With nearly a decade of natural aging, this tea has developed into a silky, clean, and subtly sweet infusion. It has lost the roughness of youth but retained a vibrant energy—just like the trickster hero himself. Ideal for midday grounding or post-meal digestion, Wu Kong is smooth, earthy, and quietly powerful.
Tea Region | Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
Tea tree | Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Cultivar | 云南大叶种 (Yunnan Da Ye Zhong)
Harvest | Spring, 2015–2016
Picking & processing | Large-leaf material; wet-piled fermentation; pressed into 100g bricks for slow aging
Dark chocolate with candied orange peel
A match for the tea’s bittersweet and fruity layers, bringing out citrus brightness and cocoa richness.
Chestnut cream cake
Creamy, mellow, and nutty—the dessert's texture and subtle sweetness amplify the tea’s roasted and jujube tones.
Beef stew with root vegetables
A hearty dish that complements the deep, grounding flavor of the puerh while smoothing out its complexity.
How to brew
Best brewed in
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