Time passes silently, yet aged tea radiates enduring charm.
More than two decades have slipped by. This vintage tea brick embodies the mellow‑rich flavour of Menghai‑style tea‑making from the 1990s. Tongxin‑She proudly presents this treasure: the 1999 Bishengxiang exclusive‑customised 1‑kilogram white‑paper ripe puerh brick.
This tea was crafted in the founding year of Haiwan Tea Industry. Master tea‑maker Zou Bingliang developed its original formula. Precious aged tea leaves reserved from the old Menghai tea factory went through refined pile‑fermentation before being pressed into bricks. Unlike mass‑produced commercial teas, this batch was privately custom‑ordered solely for the Bishengxiang merchant back then. It was never released for public sale. Extremely few stock survives today, making it a rare vintage ripe puerh hard to come by.
Wrapped in plain vintage raw‑white mulberry paper free of flashy decorations, the wrapper has gained a warm retro tone after over 20 years of natural ageing, carrying a serene texture shaped by time. Inside the brick lies a unique red‑coloured inner slip marked with a crescent‑and‑double‑star pattern. The words Menghai, Xishuangbanna · Bishengxiang remain legible. It serves as precious proof of 1990s private‑order Menghai tea, an irreplicable historical mark.
Made in the original 1‑kilogram large‑brick specification, its tight‑pressing structure locks in tea fragrance, slowing down ageing processes and preserving fine substances of aged raw‑materials. Compared with small‑sized tea bricks, this 1kg version delivers deeper‑layered flavour with even‑balanced ageing. It has developed steady, full‑bodied tea characteristics and retains excellent ageing potential for the future.
Dry tea leaves feature a dark glossy appearance with tight, even‑shaped strips. All harsh flavours of new‑made tea have faded away, leaving only gentle texture refined by decades‑long storage. Once brewed with boiling water, authentic aged Menghai‑style aroma bursts forth. Dominated by elegant lingering medicinal fragrance, it is blended with soft glutinous scent and deep woody aged notes, presenting clean and sophisticated flavour layers.
The tea liquor is crystal‑clear, glossy, thick and silky with delicate smooth tea texture and prominent gelatinous viscosity. It tastes pure and clean, with sweet flavour settling deep in the liquor. A lasting sweet after‑taste rises gently after swallowing. Matured in natural dry‑warehouse storage for over 20 years, this ripe puerh is mild on the stomach with non‑irritating flavour suitable for all‑age drinkers. It represents premium‑grade aged ripe puerh refined by long‑term natural ageing.
Three rare‑quality features define this exceptional vintage ripe puerh: heritage Menghai‑style tea‑making craft from the 1990s, the classic aged‑leaf formula by Zou Bingliang, and the discontinued privately‑commissioned limited‑edition batch.
To let more tea‑lovers savour the vintage Menghai‑style aged charm, we have broken open the whole preserved brick and prepared exquisite 10‑gram tasting‑size samples. You can experience the mellow‑silky texture and medicinal aged fragrance of this 20‑plus‑year‑old ripe puerh without purchasing the full‑size brick.
If you are fond of mild ripe puerh and vintage‑style tea‑tasting, seize this chance to appreciate the supreme flavour shaped by decades‑long time‑aging.
Tongxin‑She curates fine aged teas.
With every warm aged sip, we honour time and its profound precipitation.