Year of the Horse 2026 Spring Yiwu Raw Puer

Description

One of the most unique versions we’ve had in 11 years of pressing this tea, this year’s Horse is the most body-focused this tea has ever been, with a thick, grounded mouthfeel. In exchange, the fragrance is slightly subdued up front, but comes through after taking a sup and in the throat.

Since we press this tea each year, it creates an excellent opportunity for vertical comparison of the same material year on year, going all the way back to the Year of the Monkey (2016). While the core of each pressing remains the same, there are inevitable differences due to varying weather from one spring to the next.

This tea is an excellent example of that, bucking (pun intended) the trend and exhibiting a soup that is dense and thick – a trait normally expected from teas in a higher price bracket.

Our experience storing this tea over the last 10+ years has been the development of even more noticeable honey and fruit notes within 3-5 years. Based on this experience and feedback from customers, we’re confident in this tea for long-term storage.

In previous years (2017-2018) we tested this tea against the EU Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) of 191 and 440+ pesticides, both passing with ease. Although this year’s tea has not been tested, the tea is from the same land and our confidence in this tea and relationship with the farmer remains strong. If you would like a copy of the lab results for previous years, please contact us.

It’s a pleasure to feature artwork by Patryk Hardziej for this year’s Horse. Make sure to check out more of his work here.

For a comparison of the same tea processed different, try our 2026 White Horse and Black Horse.

$0.10-0.16/gram
Picking Period: March 20-29
Region: Yiwu, Yunnan