Tea: Tropics
Type: Raw Puer (生普洱）
Harvest: April 2023
Press Date: May 2026
Arbor: Gushu (Ancient Trees)
Region: Dong Guo Village, Mengku, Lincang, Yunnan
Tasting Notes: Salted Plum, Lemon Cake, Mango, Rock Salt, Stewed Mint
This item is a small 7 gram single-session pressing of the larger similarly named 200 gram cake: same material, same maker, same press date. We offer them individually or in sets of three.
This is a re-pressing of the previous cake from Dongguo, also named Tropics. It is pressed with the same 2023 Gushu material that we pressed back in 2024, but has had a few more years to age loose in its maocha form up on the mountain. Thus, this new pressing of Tropics might taste even more aged than the pressed version we sold back in 2024, despite teh fact that the material is from the same year, garden, and trees. As a result, the tastes have changed considerably, and is now in the throes of transformation.
We find this tea to be iconic of the traditional processing for puer, and far outside what one would expect from a lot of Lincang teas that are all chasing after that Bingdao sugar. Dongguo is unapologetically bold and powerful with the sweetness only comming like a lingering rain at back half of the session.
Dong Guo Village is a lesser known village in the Mengku region of western Lincang, situated between Xiao Hu Sai and Mo Lie, they have a large amount of qiaomu and gushu with a unique rich terroir. While we didn't like the overly astringent qiaomu (our friend straight-up told us that Dongguo qiaomu isn't worth pressing, and a few tastes made us agree) the gushu was rich, velvety, and luxurious, so we decided to press an entire 200 gram cake of their gushu.
When the leaves are placed in the warmed gaiwan we are greeted with fragrances of salted plum (a favorite drink here in China that is sweet and sour and dark of color) and something more citrus and yeasty like lemon cake. When infused with water, this transforms into something more fruity, like the tropical fruits we first tasted back in 2024, only now there is the darker, more fermented edge to them.
The brew is pleasantly thick and coats the mouth wonderfully. In a lineup of so much fresh tea, this one stands out like an old friend in a crowd of strangers. The fruity fragrances has been carried through into the brew and we are reminded of the tasting notes we first wrote a few years ago, like a juicy mango with a lemon edge.
While a lot of pure gushu we have had sneaks to the back of the throat, the Dong Guo takes its time in the front of the mouth, the top of the tongue and even leaves the lips a little sweet. This tea has layers that are very enjoyable to unpack during the session, the breaks between infusions leave the mouth salivating and the throat pleasantly sweet. There is a good deal of minerality in the brew, which makes since as 2023 was a serious drought year.
This tea was made by the Ma brothers, a maker we first met back in 2024, and we are so happy to know these kind and smiling tea makers. Their core production facility is at the base of the mountain ridge, while they have a smaller household up on the steep slopes of the Dong Guo Village. The village is located very close to Xiao Hu Sai, and while it is a little easier to access, it still feels very remote, with a lot of attention going to its more popular neighbors, Mo Lie and Bingdao. While Mo Lie has the name of little Bingdao, Dongguo is singing to a tune of its own: layered and complex, with a quick bitterness that can leave a lasting huigan.
