2005 QIANJIAZHAI SHENG PU-ERH

Qianjiazhai (千家寨), Zhenyuan, Yunnan Province, China. Ancient tree area, wild forest. Pressed in 2005 and left to age without interference — twenty years of unhurried transformation.

A tea for when the week has worn its edges thin. For the house that has finally gone quiet and the mind that needs somewhere deeper to rest — not to be fixed, simply to arrive.

Cool light and forest brightness open the first steep. Aged wood and sun-warmed bark emerge through the mid-palate, deepening with each round. The finish carries a mineral sweetness — like rain on dark earth — that holds space long after the cup is empty.

Prise off 5–7g by hand or with a knife. Rinse briefly with boiling water, then steep 20 seconds, extending with each round. Rewards 10 or more infusions as it opens. For slower days, a larger piece in a pot works just as well.