Man Nuo is not a personality tea; it is a character tea. This Sheng Pu can seem dull at its birth because its signature characteristic is being extremely neutral. However, within a year, a well-made Man Nuo can have a significantly enhanced mouthfeel. Its weighty, gravitating texture makes its lack of aroma a much-preferred distinction that adds to its solid, grounded character.
Man Nuo is one of the nine tea mountains west of Lan Cang River and is known for the surprising development of a deep body of its Pu Er as it ages. Our Man Nuo is harvested from ancient tea trees 200-600 years old. Ancient tea trees are called Gu Shu / Lao Shu in Chinese.
Pu Ers from the west side of the Lan Cang river are typically known for their forward, robust, and substantial profile. Man Nuo is known for having a weighty mouthfeel and subdued aroma.
Pu Er making follows a typical green tea process; that's why it is academically classified as a sun-dry green tea. Pu Er picking is usually one bud with two or three leaves. The teas are generally shade wilted to lose some moisture before being wok-fried in a large batch. The large batch of Pu Er being processed each time is the "mistake" that causes the tea's enzyme not to be damaged thoroughly, providing the basis for aging Pu Er later on. The hot and moist tea leaves are then rolled and shaped quickly before being evenly spread out under the sun to dry. Aggressively intense sun is the most preferred in Pu Er making.
