Golden Peacock | shou puerh teacake
TASTING NOTES: molasses, walnut skin, dried cherry
Smooth, mature, and full of soul — this 2012 ripe puerh cake from the prestigious Li Ming Tea Factory unfolds with notes of molasses, walnut skin, and dried cherry. Rich and grounding, it’s a perfect everyday shu puerh with a noble character and deep roots in Yunnan tradition.
357g.
Tea character
Leaf aroma
aged wood, dried cherry, cocoa
Cup aroma
sweet damp earth, toasted nuts, a hint of dark syrup
Flavor
molasses, walnut skin, dried cherry
Tea story
In 2012, the Li Ming Tea Factory in Yunnan selected a batch of mature spring-harvested leaves from large-leaf tea trees for fermentation. Using the wo dui (wet piling) technique, the leaves were carefully dampened, turned, and monitored over 40–50 days to encourage microbial fermentation. This process softened the green, grassy edge of the fresh leaves, transforming them into dark, earthy shou puerh.
After fermentation, the leaves were rested and then steamed and pressed into 357g cakes using stone molds—a traditional method that ensures gentle compression, allowing the leaves to age evenly over time.
The "Golden Peacock" name (金孔雀) alludes to the graceful transformation the tea undergoes as it matures. Over more than a decade, this cake has been dry-aged in southern China, slowly evolving from a young, earthy tea into one with greater clarity and cohesion. No flashy marketing, no additives—just a quiet, methodical process guided by skill, patience, and storage.
Today, breaking open the wrapper reveals a dense, clean cake with the rich scent of time: soil after rain, dried leaves, and something sweet underneath.
Tea Region | Yunnan, China
Tea tree | Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Cultivar | 云南大叶种 (Yunnan Da Ye Zhong)
Harvest | Spring, 2012
Picking & processing | Handpicked, fermented and stone-pressed
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.
Walnut-stuffed Medjool dates
The buttery crunch of walnuts and the sticky sweetness of dates highlight the tea’s roasted nut and dried fruit notes, making for a warm, comforting pairing.
Rye toast with cultured butter and honey
The nutty bitterness of rye and the creamy sweetness of honey play off the tea’s hints of walnut skin and caramel, enhancing its lingering, toasty finish.
