Whispers of the Dry Mountain | shou puerh
TASTING NOTES: date syrup, dark chocolate, plum
Smooth, mellow ripe puerh packed with subtle notes of damp cedarwood, dark mushrooms, and bittersweet chocolate. The infusion is thick and earthy with a gently sweet finish—comforting and grounding like a warm bowl of barley porridge with a hint of molasses. Made by the iconic Xiaguan factory.
357g.
Out of stock
Tea character
Leaf aroma
fresh soil, cocoa husk, damp cedar bark
Cup aroma
steamed grains, brown sugar, dried tamarind
Flavor
date syrup, dark chocolate, plum
Tea story
In 2023, after decades of perfecting their fermentation craft, Xiaguan artisans aimed to create a ripe puerh that spoke to both newcomers and seasoned tea drinkers—a tea that was clean, round, and easy to love.
To make this cake, thick, mature leaves were harvested from Yunnan’s warm, misty lowland gardens in early autumn. These leaves, high in nutrients and rich in tannins, were carefully fermented in the traditional “wodui” (wet piling) method. Over several weeks, they were slowly turned and monitored, allowing microbial fermentation to transform the leaves into a soft, dark, and earthy tea.
What sets this dark tea apart is its clean profile and mellow depth. It is sweet — not in a sugary way, but in the classical tea sense of sweetness that rises in the throat after sipping, like a warm echo. This cake was pressed in the classic 357g size and wrapped in cotton paper for ideal aging.
Tea Region | Yunnan, China
Tea tree | Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Cultivar | Yunnan Dayezhong (Large Leaf)
Harvest | Autumn, 2023
Picking & processing | Thick, mature leaves / fermented using traditional wodui method / stone-pressed into cake
Char siu bao (Cantonese steamed pork buns)
The rich, sweet-savory glaze of the pork filling harmonizes with the tea’s mellow earthiness, while the fluffy bun echoes its soft, rounded body.
Dark chocolate tart with sea salt
The bittersweet depth of dark chocolate and a touch of salt amplify the tea’s notes of molasses and wood, enhancing its smooth, grounding finish.
Roasted eggplant with miso glaze
The umami sweetness of miso and the smoky character of roasted eggplant draw out the tea’s dark, savory tones and its clean aftertaste.
