Ethnic Group Pu'er Teas

Xishuangbana Mengyang Guoyan Tea Factory in Yunnan, China, produced sets of ethnic minority pu'er cakes in 2004/5 and 2006/7.   Each set contains four cakes, representing four ethnic groups (Hani, Bulang, Jinuo and Dai), the tea trees grown around the areas they reside, and their pu'er processes.  There are at least twenty-five minority groups in Yunnan and the majority of them have very rich tea cultures.

• Hani ethnic group: High Mountain Cloud Mist cake from early spring tea leaves picked from Nan Nuo Mountain

Hani High Mountain Cloud Misty Pu'er

• Bulang ethnic group: Organic Ecology cake from tea leaves grown by Bulang people on Bulang Mountain

Bulang Organic Ecology Pu'er

• Jinuo ethnic group: Longpa Ancient Arbor cake from Youle Mountain Longpa Ancient Tea Garden's tea leaves

Jinuo Longpa Ancient Arbor Pu'er

• Dai ethnic group: Daughter's Tribute cake with leaves picked by single young Dai girls.   

Dai Daughter's Tribute Pu'er

A comparative tasting of the 2004/2005 sample teas, Yunnan storage, is below. Methodology: 2 g leaves, 100ml water, 100C, one rinse and 5-minute brewing time.

Minority	Liquor	Leaves	Tasting
Hani	Golden amber	Leaves a bit smaller than Bulang’s and more compressed	Medium body, citrusy, plummy, sweet, some astringency
Bulang	Golden amber orange	Larger leaves	Thick, woody, licorice bitter sweet, spicy and lengthy in the mouth
Jinuo	Amber orange	Some buds and more chopped younger leaves	Medium to light body, wet rattanish, smooth but not complex
Dai	Light brown	More whole younger leaves	Medium body, sweet, mellow with a light sandalwood/incense aroma