Merkaba2

Origin: China.

A character described as elemental. The tea leaves come from the “Dayeh” variety closely related to the original tea tree. Unlike other
pu-erh’s this variety is made from younger leaves. The Pu-erh tea has been subject to a number of health studies. A number of them have
substantiated claims that the tea helps reduce cholesterol levels and saturated fats in humans, and that it might also assist in weight loss.

Pu-erh is a fermented tea, named after Pu'er county in Yunnan, China. It is an unusual tea, because unlike other teas which are consumed
shortly after production, it can be over 50 years old and is usually aged at least 1-4 years. Over this time it acquires an earthy flavor due to
fermentation (not the oxidation used for oolong or black teas). This leads to Pu-erh having the unique trait among tea varieties of not
losing its qualities after a year or two and of being classified by connoisseurs by year of production.

Unlike other varieties of tea, Pu-Erh Tea is traditionally made with older leaves (not the first flush or budding leaves) from tall and old
trees. These trees are of a type only found in Yunnan Province, known as broad leaf tea. The leaves are covered with fine hairs, are larger
than other tea leaves, and have a different chemical composition. The leaves are then left green or moderately fermented before being
dried. Often times the tea is then formed into cakes or bricks, wrapped in paper or pomello rinds, and stored outside exposed to moisture,
air, and heat in order to further mature. Then the tea is stored underground for several years before taking on the darker, mellower
characteristics that make Pu-erh tea. This type of tea originated from the natural aging process that happened along the ancient caravan
routes, and the tea bricks were at times used as a form of currency. The tea bricks developed a unique flavor that was then refined by
aficionados.

In Cantonese culture, pu-erh is known as po-lay, bo-lay tea, or bo-nay tea and is often drunk during dim sum meals with family and friends,
as it is believed to help with digestion. Pu-erh is considered a medicinal tea in China.

Yunnan is the most southwestern province in China, with the Tropic of Cancer running through its southern part. The province has an area
of 394,000 square km, 4.1 % of the nation's total. The province borders Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province in the
east, Sichuan Province in the north, and Tibet Autonomous Region in the northwest. It shares a border of 4,060 km with Myanmar in the
west, Laos in the south, and Vietnam in the southeast.

The most prized pu-erhs of Yunnan are those made from the leaves of the region’s ancient tea trees. Yunnan is believed by many to be the
birthplace of tea cultivation. Tea from older trees has a more earthy flavor and the broth leaves an aroma behind that is not unlike that of
dried mushrooms.

As well as in the form of loose leaves, Pu-erh tea is typically bought in hard, dry cakes of compacted tea. It is well known that the longer
you store Pu-erh tea the better the quality.