Yunnan’s soil is complex, as is the climate in its multidimensionality. In a single region we find a tropical climate or a mountain one, in the chromatism that envelops the observer, the eyes find both rest and the neurasthenia of the course of nature in a landscape that seems to be the meeting place between Cuyp’s Flemish vedutism painting and the almost brittle and super-ideal accuracy of Xiang Shengmo.
But it is where this takes place in its verticality that we find the remnants of the history of the camellia, in the 18 villages between the peaks of Ma’an and Bangma, respectively east and west of the Nanmeng River.
In the Middle Eastern areas we find the villages of Mangbeng, Banuo, Najiao, Bangdu, Nasai (including Zhengqitang and Xiaocun), Donglai, Manna and Chengzi; while in the mid-western area are included the villages of Bingdao, Baka, Tanguo, Dahusai, Gongnong, Banggai, Bingshan, Hudong, Daxueshan and Xiaohusai.
It is mainly in the latter area that much of the material of the Shuangjiang factory of Mengku is concentrated, a company of the Rong family founded in 1993 but whose first generation dates back to 1935. Much of the material comes from the mountainous area of Mengku, especially from Daxueshan and Bingdao of which this factory was one of the forerunners. In 2005 the Rong family used the leaves of Bingdao, especially Laozhai and Nanpo, for the base of their “Mushu cha” which was followed by series dedicated to this area, as well as a lot called “Bingdao Cha” by professor Gao Zhao in 2006.
Since the 1930s, the Shuangjiang factory has always focused on the art of blending, creating a standard of Mengku tea, a character that contrasted with the Yiwu and Bulang teas in the Jianghu of Puer in the early 2000s. The feature of the Mengku blends is that of a suspended cup, a tactile and gustatory return after the liqueur has left the oral cavity, a chewable sweetness that coexists with bitterness, almost creating a receptive antithesis in the same areas of the tongue. They are pleasant teas even in their youth despite their initial roughness, managing to relax elegantly without excessive dissonances in the evolutionary path.
This 2011 pu’er from Shuangjiang factory is made from old trees leaves from different mountains in Mengku. The scents of dry leaves are reminiscent of an old mountain house, made of ancient, damp and slightly moldy wood, it almost recalls the smell of an old leather sofa. The wet leaves bring to mind earthy and woody notes, of wild mushrooms and undergrowth, wet wood and antique furniture. As the infusions pass the water dilutes the strongest odors, bringing back aromas of jujube, camphor, leather and virginia tobacco; it then evolves into a more fruity texture of apricots, stewed apples and madernassa pear poached in wine. The initially primordial and nostalgic character continues in the liqueur, with primarily animal smell on the nose, on the other hand notes of dates, wild oregano and dulsita sugar emerge in the mouth, a sugary sensation increases salivation together with the bitterness that takes possession of the sides and bottom of the tongue. The fruity notes close a complex, intense, soft, persistent and identifying sip.
Wild Harvested 