Dream a Little 2025 Huazhuliangzi Laochatou Ripe Puer
Price range: $8.00 through $125.00
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- Master Li
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Description
From the same producer as our Maestro lineup of shou puer, these Laochatou come from a 2025 pile that uses the same material as our 2022 Cantata (Huazhuliangzi). Make sure to check the About Master Li tab for more details.
A byproduct of shou puer piling (wodui), laochatou consists of tea that has formed into clumps thanks to the release of pectin that has combined with sugars and other compounds exuded during the fermentation process. Once discarded from productions, most producers now treat this as an afterthought, however, extra care has been taken to grade these laochatou, with this batch coming from the finest (smallest) available.
At the time we picked it up, this was also the only available grade left, as her medium and large grade laochatou tend to get snapped up immediately by those know what to expect from this tea.
While it’s commonly recommended to let shou puer rest for a period after fermenting, this tea directly contradicts that outdated recommendation, with a fresh and funk-free character.
This tea delivers a rice soup quality with slight nuttiness and mineral sweetness. A sticky rice sweetness in the aftertaste and syrupy quality shows the same attention to detail that goes into the rest of her shou production. This tea is crisp and approachable now, but still young, with clear aging potential ahead.
$0.16/gram
Region: Huazhuliangzi, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan
Harvest: Spring 2025
A distinguished second-generation tea artisan, Master Li’s experience producing shou puer dates back to 1975, the pivotal moment when this style of tea was transitioning from trial batches to full-scale production.Her career began at the renowned Menghai Tea Factory, initially in a production-focused role. As she gained an intimate understanding of each stage of the fermentation process, her expertise became crucial for evaluation and quality inspection.
In the half century that followed, she has developed her own unique techniques, while honouring traditional methods. Now in her 80s, she still personally tends to each production, gathering and blending samples from various sections of the pile to evaluate the progress. We were fortunate enough to join her for one such evaluation session. Although the tea was pulled fresh from an active pile, it was surprisingly clean and sweet, with none of the strange funk associated with lower-quality shou production – a true testament to her ability.
Mastery can come in various forms and guises, especially in the world of tea. Our firsthand experience watching Master Li work and sitting to drink with her left no doubt that we were in the presence of a master of the highest order.
Additional information
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