Classic Loose Pu-erh Tea (Shou 熟) — 2009 

Other names: Loose Pu-erh, Pu-erh Tea Loose Leaf, Gong Ting Pu-erh (金针宫廷), Gold-Needle Ripe Pu-erh, Shou Pu-erh, 散熟普

This is our classic everyday loose pu-erh tea — a lovely ripe (Shou) pu-erh, ready to scoop, no cake to break.

It's a 2009 gold-needle gong ting (palace-grade) ripe pu-erh from Menghai, quietly aged in Kunming's dry storage — giving a clean, full-bodied cup that's rich, mellow and sweet.

Loose leaf is the effortless way to enjoy pu-erh every day — just measure, rinse and brew.

About This Loose Pu-erh

A 2009 loose ripe (Shou) pu-erh from Menghai, Yunnan — dry-stored and aged into a mellow "old ripe pu-erh" character.

The leaf is tight, even and clean — sorted by static and by hand to pick out the best — and it brews a rare, full-bodied cup: thick and rich, pure and clean on the palate, sweet in the mouth, with an alluring mellow aroma and a long, lingering finish. A superb everyday loose pu-erh.

• Type: Ripened (Shou 熟) loose leaf pu-erh
• Leaf: gold-needle — tight, even strands, static + hand sorted
• Flavour: full-bodied and rich, clean and pure, sweet with an alluring mellow aroma and long finish
• Format: loose leaf — scoop and brew, no cake pin needed
• Region: Menghai (勐海), Yunnan 
• Production: 2009

Want a step up?

Our Premium Loose Pu-erh is even silkier, super-ripened cup

— or browse the whole Ripe pu-erh collection.

Essential Pu-erh Tea Accessories

Loose leaf is the easy option — no breaking, just scoop and brew. A couple of pieces still help:

• Teapot: for pu-erh we reach first for a Yixing zisha pot — the unglazed clay softens pu-erh's earthy edges for a rounder, smoother cup — or a gaiwan for an easier, more affordable start.

See the full range in our Pu-erh accessories.

Want to understand pu-erh a little better? Here's some honest, no-fluff knowledge to help you find your pu-erh.

How to Choose Your First Pu-erh

The quick version:

Raw (Sheng) is like sashimi — fresh, bright and a little wild;

Ripe (Shou) is like a rich, slow-cooked stew — dark, mellow and smooth, transformed by time.

Love green or white tea? Start raw.

Love black tea, dark tea (hei cha) or roasted oolong? Start ripe — like this one.

Your next pu-erh: explore by region.

Scroll down — there's plenty here to help you decide. Finding a pu-erh you love is a genuinely fun journey, and the pricey one isn't always the one that suits you.

A clean, full-bodied loose pu-erh like this is one of the easiest to love every day — quality in the cup, with none of the effort.

Pu-erh Regions: Why Origin Shapes Taste & Price

Region is one of the biggest reasons two pu-erhs can differ so much in taste, quality and price.

Across Yunnan, tea grows on hundreds of mountains, each giving its own character — shaped by the land and the tree type (ancient-tree, arbor or plantation).

Here's how Yunnan's three core regions break down — and where this loose pu-erh sits:

A handy shorthand pu-erh drinkers use:

Ban Zhang is the king (bold and powerful),

Bing Dao is the queen (sweet and smooth),

Yiwu is grace itself (soft, supple and silky).

What Decides a Pu-erh's Price?

Pu-erh prices run from everyday to eye-watering, and it helps to know what you're paying for. A few things set the price:

• Where it's grown (region): a famous mountain like Lao Ban Zhang or Bing Dao is scarce and commands top prices.
• The tree (variety & age): ancient-tree (gu shu) leaf sits above arbor (qiao mu), which sits above plantation (tai di).
• The pick: even from the same tree, tender bud-and-tip fetches more than coarser leaf — and spring tea is prized over autumn.
• Age, storage, grade & brand: older well-stored cakes, higher grades, and established houses like Dayi and Xiaguan all add to the price.

That's why two cakes with the same famous name — say, "Bing Dao" — can sit at very different prices. The exact village, tree type, grade and season all change what ends up in the cup, so the same name never means the same tea.

Pu-erh, Caffeine & Antioxidants

Like all true tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, pu-erh is post-fermented and naturally contains antioxidants and caffeine — that's simply part of the leaf.

A gently brewed, well-aged ripe pu-erh tends to drink smooth and rounded rather than sharp. It's the classic cup to enjoy after a rich meal — warming, comforting and easy — which is exactly how it's been loved in China for generations. If you're sensitive to caffeine, keep your leaf light and your steeps short.

Brew this ripened pu-erh the right way

— check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care, and The Origins below 👇