2008 Big Snow Mountain Aged Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

This 17-year-aged raw Pu-erh tea cake was traditionally stone-pressed using sun-dried maocha harvested in 2008 from Big Snow Mountain (Da Xue Shan) in Mengku, Shuangjiang County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. The tea was grown at high elevations ranging from 2,200 to 2,750 meters.

Da Xue Shan is located in the core region of the world’s tea tree origins and is regarded by many tea enthusiasts as a sacred pilgrimage site. From Shuangjiang, it takes over an hour by car and another two hours on foot to reach this remote high-mountain forest. Outside of the harvest season, the area is almost completely deserted—silent, mysterious, and untouched.

Here grows the world’s highest and densest known population of large-leaf ancient wild tea trees. More than 80,000 original tea trees thrive across 12,700 mu (approximately 845 hectares), making it one of the most important sources of authentic Pu-erh tea varietals.

These ancient trees are not only among the oldest tea trees suitable for drinking in the world, but also flourish in a unique, untouched high-altitude ecosystem. The forest is rich in biodiversity, with the tea trees growing alongside moss, vines, and ferns. Their crowns stretch into the clouds, forming one of the most ecologically intact tea tree communities on Earth. This is both a living gene bank and a precious natural heritage—widely known as the “cradle of tea trees.”

Big Snow Mountain Pu-erh was harvested by local Bulang ethnic tea farmers in 2008, using traditional sun-drying methods to produce mao cha (loose raw Pu-erh), then stone-pressed into cakes by hand. The tea was naturally stored by local farmers for 11 years and has been part of the Chinese Tea Group's physical store collection since 2019.

As Big Snow Mountain (Da Xue Shan )'s reputation has grown—and with 2008 being a unique, unrepeatable vintage—we now release only 20 cakes per year. By strictly controlling the release, we ensure that aged tea remains available each year. Time adds value to tea, and this is the reward for our years of careful, professional storage.

This rare aged Pu-erh cake expresses the wild energy and power unique to Big Snow Mountain. It is known for its intensity, bold flavor, and exceptional endurance in multiple infusions. After 17 years of natural aging, the tea develops notes of smokiness and aged depth. The mouthfeel is smooth and nourishing, with a powerful chaqi (tea energy). Drinking a full session feels like climbing Da Xue Shan itself—sweat-drenched and exhilarated.

To us, every release of an aged tea is an act of honoring time. We are not merely offering a tea—we are sharing a memory from Big Snow Mountain, from the year 2008.

Tea Details

• Year: 2008
• Type: Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh Tea
• Shape: Tea Cake
• Weight: 400g
• Origin: Big Snow Mountain, Shuangjiang County, Lincang City, Yunnan
• Elevation: Around 2,200 meters
• Tree Type: Gu Shu (Ancient Tea Trees)
• Varietal (Cultivar): Mengku Da Ye Zhong (Large-Leaf Variety)

Gongfu Tea Brewing Guide

(Traditional Method)

Tips: Tea masters recommend steeping times based on each tea's unique flavor, starting the timer after pouring the water.

Common Brewing Guide

(Easy Everyday Preparation)

Tips: You can adjust the steeping time or leaf-to-water ratio to suit your taste—shorten the infusion for a lighter brew or extend it for a stronger one.