Pu·erh

A fermented and aged dark tea from Yunnan, pressed into cakes and valued for earthy, evolving flavour over years.

Pu-erh is made from a large-leaf varietal grown in Yunnan province and undergoes a microbial fermentation process that sets it apart from other tea categories. Raw (sheng) pu-erh ages slowly and naturally over years or decades, while ripe (shou) pu-erh is deliberately fermented to reach a similar earthy profile much faster.

It's usually pressed into cakes, bricks, or tuo shapes for storage and aging, and connoisseurs often collect it the way others collect wine — tracking region, year, and how the flavour has changed over time.