Dong Banshan 2012

For lovers of eastern plains.

To the west of the city of Lincang, in Yunnan, a mountain range splits in two as it wends its way southward, and the little region, Mengku, is a hallowed name in the world of Pu'er, with groves of ancient, spindly-branched Gushu.

In the shadow of the eastern ridge, the tea trees seem to have absorbed the minerality of the soil and the essence of nearby herbs: the wet leaves steam with the scent of wild spearmint, while the liquor carries the aroma of untamed grasses, as if blown from a nearby meadow or savannah; the sensation of menthol remains, coating the entire mouth like a cooling breeze. The slight sweetness, and notable astringency, of apple skin emerges slowly from subsequent infusions. It's a Pu'er to take one on a romp through the fields.