Ailao Mountain Pu'er Tea

Ailao Mountain Pu'er Tea

　　  Ailao Mountain Pu'er Tea is a specialty of Ailao Mountain in Jingdong County, Pu'er City, Yunnan Province. Ailao Mountain is well-known in the tea world, much like Bawang Mountain, thanks to the famous wild ancient tea tree in Qiandazhai, Jiujia Township, which is over 2,700 years old — currently the oldest known wild tea tree.

　　  The main production area of Ailao Mountain Pu'er Tea is within the jurisdiction of Jingdong Yi Autonomous County, Pu'er City. Due to the mountain's unique terrain, only the western slopes are suitable for tea cultivation and harvesting.

　　  The western slope tea region of Ailao Mountain is mainly distributed across Wencha, Pieluo, Yingpan, and Wengang in Huashan Township; Qili and Sanying in Dajie Township; Dabaodi and Maidi in Tai Zhong Township; and Dongshan and Heshao in Longjie Township. This area ranges in elevation from 1,310 to 2,150 meters, with 4,844 acres of tea trees aged 50–100 years and 753 acres aged over 100 years.

　　  The cultivated ancient tea trees of Ailao Mountain are mainly found within the primeval forests at elevations of 2,100 to 2,500 meters on the mountain. Here, ancient tea trees grow alongside a thousand species of higher plants, including exotic flowers, nanmu, fir, red cedar, Yunnan buckeye, camellia, ink orchid, cymbidium, and Chinese pine.

　　  Ailao Mountain Pu'er Tea is made from pure spring-harvested ancient tree leaves, refined through traditional manual craftsmanship. The cakes are full and round; the tea strips are tightly rolled; the dry leaves are dark and glossy with visible fine tips; the brewed liquor is clear and bright; the color is orange-yellow; the aroma is unique, with prominent sticky rice flower notes that are strong and long-lasting; the taste is rich and full-bodied; it stimulates saliva quickly and the effect lasts; it is highly durable for multiple infusions, with thick, tender, and robust leaves.