Pu'er Tulin Phoenix

Classification and Origin

Category: pu'er (普洱茶, Pǔ'ěr chá)

Tulin (土林, Tǔlín) — principal trademark; Phoenix (凤凰, Fènghuáng) — a recognisable series in the product range

Pu'er Cha (Group) Co., Ltd. (普洱茶(集团)有限公司, Pǔ'ěr chá (jítuán) yǒuxiàn gōngsī)

Yunnan large-leaf cultivar-landrace (云南大叶种, Yúnnán dàyèzhǒng), sun-dried maocha (晒青毛茶, shàiqīng máochá)

compressed tea, most commonly a cake (饼茶, bǐngchá); tuo (沱茶, tuóchá) and bricks (砖茶, zhuānchá) are also found

Origin: Pu'er City (普洱市, Pǔ'ěr shì), Yunnan Province (云南, Yúnnán), PRC

Type: raw pu'er, sheng (生茶, shēngchá) — unripe, naturally aging

Facts

Facts: Interesting Facts

• The name "Tulin" (土林) literally means "earth" and "forest", alluding to the local natural landscape and the origin of the raw material
• The Phoenix (凤凰, Fènghuáng) in Chinese culture is a symbol of rebirth and prosperity, making it a popular element in tea paraphernalia
• The city of Pu'er bears the name that gave its name to the entire tea category, and not vice versa: the tea is named after the historical trade centre
• The renaming of Simao to Pu'er City in 2007 cemented the tea identity of the territory
• Within the prefecture lie the ancient tea forests of Jingmai Mountain, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List

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In Conclusion:

Tulin Phoenix 土林凤凰生茶 is a characteristic representative of factory sheng pu'er from Pu'er Prefecture: clear in style, made from Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried raw material, and intended for long-term aging. It does not claim the status of a rare single-mountain collectible lot, but offers an honest balance of quality, recognisability, and accessible price, making it convenient both for everyday drinking and for acquainting oneself with raw pu'er.

For those who wish to trace the evolution of flavour from the fresh astringency of young tea to the soft depth of aged tea, this brand provides illustrative and not overly expensive material for observation. With careful dry storage and attentive brewing, the tea is capable of revealing itself year by year, remaining true to the regional character of southwestern Yun

History and Culture

Simao Tea Factory (思茅茶厂, Sīmáo cháchǎng), established in the 1970s

the enterprise was subsequently transformed into Pu'er Cha (Group)

a historical centre of pu'er procurement and trade in southwestern Yunnan

Botany and Raw Material

Camellia sinensis var. assamica — large-leaf Assam variety

Yunnan large-leaf (云南大叶种, Yúnnán dàyèzhǒng)

large, stout, with pronounced venation and a high content of extractive substances

sun-dried maocha (晒青毛茶, shàiqīng máochá)

Terroir

Climate: subtropical monsoon, with warm humid summers, mild winters, and frequent fogs

southwestern Yunnan, Pu'er City Prefecture

approximately 22–25° N, 99–102° E

predominantly 1000–1800 m above sea level

Jingmai (景迈, Jǐngmài), Jinggu (景谷, Jǐnggǔ), Zhenyuan (镇沅, Zhènyuán), Jingdong (景东, Jǐngdōng)

Production

flushes from the large-leaf bush

(萎凋, wěidiāo) — reducing leaf moisture content

(杀青, shāqīng) — heating to halt fermentation, at a moderate temperature characteristic of pu'er

(揉捻, róuniǎn) — shaping the leaf and releasing juices

(晒青, shàiqīng) — drying in the sun, yielding maocha

moistening with steam, pressing into a cake/tuo/brick

bringing the product to a stable moisture level

Organoleptic Profile

dark green with greyish and golden downy buds, pressed firmly but without over-compaction

from pale yellow to golden-amber; darkens with years of storage

in young tea — herbaceous-floral, with honeyed and fruity notes; with age — warmer, dried-fruit, woody

elastic, greenish-brown, intact

Taste: fresh, with a characteristic bitterness and astringency that transition into a sweet aftertaste (回甘, huígān)

Chemical Composition

Amino Acids: approximately 2–4%, including theanine (茶氨酸, chá'ānsuān)

high for the large-leaf cultivar, approximately 28–35%

a significant portion of the polyphenols, determining astringency and puckering

approximately 3–5%

high content, yielding a full-bodied infusion

Health Notes

provided by caffeine in combination with theanine

associated with polyphenols and catechins

in Chinese everyday culture, pu'er is drunk to ease the sensation of heaviness after fatty or rich food

Brewing

approximately 7–8 g per 100–150 ml

soft; 90–95 °C for young sheng, up to 100 °C for aged

(洗茶, xǐchá) one brief rinse of 3–5 seconds

first infusions 5–10 seconds, then with gradual increase of time

8–12 or more using the infusion (gongfu) method

Teaware: gaiwan (盖碗, gàiwǎn) or a teapot of Yixing clay (紫砂, zǐshā)

Storage

raw pu'er is intended for long-term storage and slow aging

clean, ventilated room without extraneous odours, out of direct sunlight

moderate and stable, without sharp fluctuations

the cake in cotton paper, then in a bamboo wrapper or cardboard; it is advisable to allow air access

"dry storage" (干仓, gāncāng) as the primary approach; "wet storage" (湿仓, shīcāng) is consciously avoided due to the risk of mould and coarse taste

Price and Authenticity

affordable and middle-range; Tulin is positioned as a reliable factory brand, not a premium boutique label

a young 357 g cake usually falls in the lower and middle range of the pu'er market; aged and higher grades are more expensive

official and authorised vendors, specialist tea shops