勐海金芽 Menghai Jin Ya

Menghai Jin Ya means 'Menghai Golden Bud' — 100% pure Bulang Mountain (布朗纯料) spring leaves, harvested in 2010 to a strict one-bud-two-leaf standard, fermented in Menghai, and pressed in 2016. The jin ya grade means the finest golden-tipped shoots were sifted out after pile fermentation — buds that survived the wo dui process intact and retained their character. Bulang Mountain in Xishuangbanna is one of the key tea-growing regions of Menghai county, known for material with good natural bitterness in sheng form that transforms into rich sweetness in shu. A single-origin Bulang cake is different from a blended Menghai recipe: the terroir shows through even after fermentation, giving the tea a distinctive mineral depth alongside the standard shu profile. Six years between harvest and pressing, then another eight since the cake was pressed — the material has had time to settle and integrate at every stage. In the cup: thick, creamy mouthfeel, dark jujube, deep cocoa and a long warming finish. The golden bud selection produces an even, consistent brew from first steep to last with no harsh notes at any point. An honest, well-sourced single-origin shu at a fair price. Worldwide delivery.