2006 Fu Lu Yuan Cha

This 2006 cake is the first release in the Fu Lu Yuan Cha series initiated by puer tea scholar Deng Shi Hai. After many years studying antique puer teas, he set out to create a modern production that could capture the character and aging potential of the famous early twentieth-century cakes, serving as a bridge between the great puer teas of the past and those produced today. As the first production in the series, it holds particular historical significance and has become highly collectible. 

As with Deng Shi Hai’s other productions from this period, the leaf material was sourced from Lincang, using a blend of spring and autumn material in the style of teas from the hao-ji era productions. At a time when many of the famous tea mountains of southern Yunnan were already being heavily harvested, he chose this region where the trees remained healthy and traditional harvesting practices were still followed. He believed that overharvesting in the more famous areas was gradually eroding the distinctive character of puer tea.

This cake has been stored in Taiwan since production and has aged cleanly. The storage conditions have been relatively dry, allowing the tea to develop depth and maturity while avoiding unwanted storage flavors.

The liquor is rich and layered, showing excellent depth and balance. The texture is smooth with a gentle bite. The returning sweetness is pronounced, followed by a long and steady aftertaste and strong salivation that lingers long after each sip. The chaqi is powerful, with an ethereal quality that gives the session a distinctly meditative character. 

This cake was obtained through a member of the Deng Shi Hai Puer Research Institute, and its authenticity is guaranteed. Counterfeit versions of this production are known to exist, making reliable sourcing especially important.