Na Ka Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh Cake Tea

The Naka ancient tree tea has always been known as the "Little Ban Zhang," just like a dazzling pearl hidden in the world of tea, deeply cherished by tea enthusiasts. TeaVivre's Naka raw pu'erh cake, selected from the ancient tree materials of the spring of 2021, has undergone several years of transformation, and its flavor has become incredibly rich. When hot water is poured over it, the aroma of the tea instantly fills the air -- a unique and enchanting fragrance that carries the freshness of the mountains and the natural charm of the wilderness. With just a sip, the tea broth circulates in the mouth, the scent of nectar filling every corner, rich in taste, with a quick and lasting sweetness, as if performing a feast for the taste buds right on the tip of the tongue.

	Cup Method		Chinese Gongfu Method
	Teacup: 12oz / 355ml		Gaiwan: 3.8oz / 110ml
	203℉ / 95℃		203℉ / 95℃
	4g		8g
	Brewing time: 3 - 5 mins		11 steeps: rinse, 10s, 5s, 5s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 80s

In Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, within Mengsong Township, lies Naka, a place that stands at the forefront of the many tea villages in Mengsong. Naka is the most renowned tea village in the ancient tea area of Mengsong. The Naka ancient tea garden is a high-altitude cultivation type of ancient tea garden, with ample sunlight, moist soil, mild climate, and vigorous tea tree growth. It is primarily composed of ancient tea trees aged between 200 to 400 years, surrounded by pristine natural forests. Beneath the tea trees, piles of rocks are scattered everywhere, with these ancient trees growing out of the crevices in the rocks. The minerals from the rocks, weathered by time and rain, seep into the soil and are absorbed, endowing the tea leaves from this area with a rich mineral content. This results in a stronger taste, higher freshness, and distinct floral and rock note (岩韵).

A born-and-bred Yunnan farmer, Mr. Zhou has been avidly contributing to the tea business for more than 20 years. A short chat with him made his passion for using traditional tea crafting processes apparent.

He values the essential quality inside the tea leaves, and says that his experience comes from spending most of his time in the tea gardens along the mountains.

Mr. Zhou is passionate about bringing out that internal quality of the tea to share with tea lovers around the world - and also claims that the best environment for growing the perfect tea is in Fengqing.

At the 14th Chinese Tea Industry Economic Annual Conference in 2021, Mr. Zhou won the honorary title of "National Tea Craftsman -- Tea Master".

Naka is a Lahu ethnic village located within the Damanlv Village Committee of Mengsong Township, Menghai County. It covers an area of 9.69 square kilometers, with an elevation of about 1700 meters. The annual average temperature is 16.00°C, and the annual precipitation is 1,800.00 millimeters. The ecological environment is favorable, suitable for growing tea and other crops, with over 600 mu (approximately 40 hectares) of contiguous ancient tea gardens. The Naka village is recognized for producing high-quality ancient tree teas.

This pu-erh tea is made from the large-leaf subspecies of the Yunnan large-leaf. It propagates sexually and takes the form of an arbour tree, meaning that it can grow to over six meters tall. 1984, the Fengqing large-leaf species was certified by the Chinese government as a national grade. It contains an abundance of tea polyphenols (30.2%) and catechins (13.4%), as well as 2.9% amino acids and 3.2% caffeine.

Pu-erh tea is one of the oldest types of tea in China, with a history stretching back over 1,700 years to the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the tea was called Jing Cha. Pu-erh is named after the town of Pu’er in Yunnan province, which was the original trading center of this tea. In its early history, this tea was actually used as bartering currency in southwest China, where the famed Cha Ma Gu Dao, “Tea Horse Road”, was built for the sole purpose of transporting it through the Himalayas to other countries and areas in Tibet.