This very special and rare tea is made using tea leaves picked from aged wild Arbor tea trees that grow in the high Shi Zi Mountains of Wu Ding County. The tea leaves can only be picked once a year during the early spring season. This and the fact that aged Arbor trees are limited in number make Ya Bao tea leaves very precious. It is not uncommon to find some Ya Bao tea leaves blended into tea cake. Usually, the Ya Bao leaves only cover part of the surface of the tea cake, which makes up about 5% of the entire tea cake. Tea cakes compressed entirely of Ya Bao tea leaves exist, but are very expensive and usually made on special pre-order. Ya Bao is known for its special cooling properties and regular consumption can help to lower blood pressure. Unlike other Pu-erh teas, Ya Bao tea leaves do not benefit much from aging and the age peaks at around 2-3 years old. It is ready for drinking now. Other names: Cha Bao, Cha Sun (Bamboo Shoot), Que Zhi (Bird's beak) Taste: Ya Bao taste is very special and unique. The aroma of this tea is full of flowery sweetness with a subtle hint of vanilla. It is unlike any other Pu-erh teas that we have tasted before. The taste is flowery and has a pleasant rose-like sweetness. Appearance: Thick, juicy buds with leaves that look like fish-scale (first flush tea tends to have this appearance). Brand, Manufacturer: Wu Ding County, Yunnan Province Pu-erh Type: Raw / Green Harvest Period: Spring '07 |