Beneath the Pines

Beneath the Pines is a very unique 2000 Liu Bao. Since Beneath the Pines was piled/fermented for a shorter time, it is more raw (sheng) than most Liu Bao teas. This may have happened because of the large, wild leaves and/or because of the rising popularity of puerh at the time. It was also fermented without spraying water on the piles (dry piling). This means that Beneath the Pines is more lightly fermented than most Liu Bao teas and therefore has more room to grow over time. Much of the Liu Bao from the early days was also artificially fermented to a lesser degree since it also went through years of natural fermentation before it was even sold. Also, Beneath the Pines was not compressed like most Liu Bao; the baskets were just filled with the leaves and passed on that way. This probably also had to do with the size/kind of leaves.

It has a wandering uplifting Qi that makes you feel as though you are lost in such a place, with only the wind and the pine-fragrance to guide you. It is soft and graceful, like a very pleasant autumn or early winter forest walk. It is a wonderful tea for the holiday season, as it refreshes and inspires while remaining warm-hearted and friendly.