2022 Xu Li Shan Tribute Tea

FatBat Private Pressing Gushu Raw Puerh

须立山贡茶

Each Spring, we spotlight one of the 4 historical Imperial Tribute Tea Gardens. 

• 2022 - Xu Li Shan
• 2023 - Kunlu Shan
• 2024 - MiDi

Here is the wildcard of our 2022 Spring lineup. A region unfamiliar to most, Xu Li Shan is mostly known from the history books where it is cited as one of the four major Imperial Tribute tea gardens in the Qing Dynasty. Like the more famous Imperial gardens of Kunlu Shan, ManSong and MiDi, the tea from this area is known for its softness, lasting sweetness and delicate complexity. We are proud to be one of the first to produce a stringently harvested and processed, "named" gushu pressing from this neglected region.

A true "forest tea" in taste profile, the wild and primeval nature of this tea is evident from first steep. Deep wildflower aroma, there's the moderate sharpness of youth, manifesting as a long lasting mouthcoat moving quickly into a sugary huigan and "sheng jin" salivation. A robust, energizing qi pushes forth by second steep.

We were admittedly nervous given the lack of experience with this area, but the finished tea has turned out to be rich and nuanced with surprising depth for its young age. For us, this was an unmissable opportunity to get first dibs on an overlooked micro-region (despite its history!) before the prices start climbing. Watching how this develops with age will be fascinating and a learning experience for us as well. 
 

TERROIR

Sited in an exceedingly remote stretch of the AiLao Mountains, Xu Li Shan is the last, unexplored (and unexploited) Imperial Tribute tea gardens. The sheer remoteness and lack of visibility of these tea gardens has benefitted the ancient trees here, which are in exceptional shape (in contrast with the other Tribute regions which are frequently at risk of overpicking or tourist infringement due to their fame).

This translates into a very pure, untamed taste profile which is typically only found in the much higher priced Guoyoulin (protected reserve) type micro-regions.

TECHNICALS