This tasting set is a reboot of sorts of our original Famous 6 tasting set. While our initial set featured old tree fall material from 2014, this one is a step up, using 2017 spring old tree material.

The six teas included in this set offer an excellent comparison of high quality material from the “6 famous tea mountains” in Xishuangbanna. Also known as the 6 ancient tea mountains, the members include Yiwu (Mansa), Manzhuan, Yibang, Gedeng, Mangzhi and Youle/Jinnuo. While the designation of this title and historical foundations for it are unclear at best, these mountains were previously the source of tribute teas in Imperial China.

The purpose of this tasting set is to provide two things:

One is the chance to observe the subtle changes between raw puers of nearby regions and differing varietal. Each mountain represents an incremental movement west and towards a distinctly different character. This becomes most easily noticed when directly comparing the Youle and Yiwu teas, which demonstrates a trade-off of fragrance for bitterness.

Two is simply really good tea. The mountains in question have tea producing regions of varying sizes, and within those regions a variety of unique characteristics. One aspect of this tasting set that we wish to achieve is setting as even a playing field as possible. This is why the teas included are all from the same season and picking period of early spring 2017, and from older tree.

Comparisons aside, these six teas are also thoroughly enjoyable and ones that we recommend to any Yiwu/Banna region puer lovers.

This set is offered in 150g (6 x 25g) or 1kg (6 x 168g cakes) sizes, making it accessible for sampling and learning, or storing away and checking in on. These teas have been kept in monitored and controlled Jinghong dry storage since being pressed in mid-2017. Although Jinghong is typically quite a bit more humid, these teas do not exemplify any negative signs of humid storage and still retain a very full character.

$0.40/gram