2022 Ma Li Shu (Yibang) Gushu Puerh

FatBat Private Pressing Gushu Raw Puerh

麻栗树古树

Yibang is a much beloved tea region for us and this is a top grade picking (first grade gushu, selected trees) from the Ma Li Shu micro-region. It is a subtle tea that rewards focus, layers of complexity unfolding with each steep.

The characteristic creamy grassiness and custardy texture of Yibang tea is obvious, but is even more rounded and nuanced than some other Yibang gardens. Every part of this tea exhibits utmost refinement, you will not find short-lived excitement nor astringency masquerading as "ba qi" or power. This is a tea with strong "deep forest" character (野韵) and impressive longevity.

TERROIR

The greater Yibang tea region is known to many puerh enthusiasts as one of the 6 famous tea mountains, famed for its small-leaf tea tree varietal (also yielding the vaunted "cat ear" style tea). Escalating demand has pushed prices for several micro-regions in this area to unreasonable levels; notably Da Hei Shu Lin (大黑树林), Man Song (曼松) and Da Hei Shan (大黑山). 

Ma Li Shu is a smaller tea producing micro-region less traversed by tea buyers and tourists, which has allowed it to escape the worst of the price gouging and over-picking. We treasure these tea gardens for the excellent condition of their ecology as well as the pure expression of the Yibang small-leaf varietal, not to mention more reasonable prices.

TECHNICALS