This is a shou, or "ripe," Pu-Erh from Yunnan Province, the region in China where the first tea plants were found. Shou Pu-Erh is set apart from sheng, or raw, Pu-Erh by its fermentation: the leaves are piled and kept warm and moist, a method the Chinese call "wo dui," which accelerates an aging process that would otherwise take years. The result is the mellow, earthy character that gives Pu-Erh its reputation. What makes this one distinctive is its form. Rather than the flat cakes or bings most of our Pu-Erhs arrive in, this tea is pressed into small nests called "tuo cha," each one a single serving that opens up over several infusions. The starchy, rice-like notes soften with each steep, giving way to something deeper and more full-bodied.