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Tea Encyclopedia

Xiao Fa Tuo

销法沱xiāofǎ tuó

Tea passport

Origin
Xiaguan, a historic tea hub in the south of Yunnan Province, in the Dali city area
Tea type
Pu-erh Tea

SKU · XIAGUAN-XIAOFA-TUO-CN

SKU · XIAGUAN-XIAOFA-TUO-CN
How to brew

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About this tea

How to brew

Choose a brewing method. Start with the recommended quantities and time, then adjust to taste.

Brewing

Western brewing

Teaware
A gaiwan or dense clay; clay further smooths out earthy tones.

Origin notes

Origin notes

Tea type
Pu-erh

Tea encyclopedia

Xiao Fa Tuo

Category: Not a 唛号 recipe, but a format (形制) and export line tied to a specific purpose and manufacturer; in catalogues, it is listed as a historical-market phenomenon rather than a "numbered" benchmark.

Classification and Origin

Category: Not a 唛号 recipe, but a format (形制) and export line tied to a specific purpose and manufacturer; in catalogues, it is listed as a historical-market phenomenon rather than a "numbered" benchmark.

Yunnan large-leaf variety (云南大叶种 Yúnnán dàyèzhŏng) — the large-leaf subspecies of the tea plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica.

Origin: Xiaguan (下关), a historic tea hub in the south of Yunnan Province, in the Dali (大理) city area.

Type: Shu pu-erh (熟普), fermented pu-erh in tuo form.

Botany and Raw Material

The base raw material for Yunnan pu-erh — the large-leaf subspecies of the tea plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica, the Yunnan large-leaf variety (云南大叶种 Yúnnán dàyèzhŏng). The leaf of this subspecies is rich in extractive substances and polyphenols, which gives pu-erh its dense, "thick" infusion and good potential for wet fermentation.

Historically, the tuo form primarily used material of medium tenderness grade — not the highest tips grade, but also not coarse: a compromise between the aromatics of buds, the density of the infusion, and pressing stability. This "mid-level" tenderness of the raw material is one of the reasons why Xiāofǎ tuó is perceived as a solid everyday shu of the mid-range segment, rather than a premium "palace" (宫廷) category.

Brewing

One or two short rinses to "awaken" the pressed fragment and wash away fermentation dust.

Near 100 °C — shu pu-erh appreciates boiling water.

The first ones are short (a few seconds), followed by a gradual increase in steeping time.

Teaware: A gaiwan or dense clay; clay further smooths out earthy tones.

Price and Authenticity

Xiāofǎ tuó is a tuo, not a beeng (饼), and it is identified primarily by shape and Xiaguan origin, not by 唛号.

Different factory, different format (砖 vs. 沱).

Xiāofǎ tuó is made from medium-tenderness material and belongs to the mid-range segment, whereas gōngtíng is the highest tenderness grade (buds/most tender leaf).

This is a by-product of 渥堆 — self-agglomerated lumps, not a shaped tuo.

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