750 years old tree 2026 maocha

Name: 750-year-old tree
Year: Spring 2026
Weight: loose leaves/maocha
Origin: Wawee Organic Tea Farm, Mae Suai, Thailand

Details:

These are the very same leaves used to produce the limited-edition single-tree pu-erh bing cakes. As some tea enthusiasts appreciate experiencing a tea in its purest and most immediate form, I decided to leave a small portion of the harvest unpressed. This offers a rare opportunity to explore the maocha exactly as it was after processing, before time, compression, and storage begin to shape its future character.

For some tea people, tasting the loose-leaf version alongside the pressed cake is a fascinating experience. It provides a glimpse into the tea’s original expression and allows one to better understand the personality of the ancient tree itself. Given the extremely limited harvest from a single old tea tree, only a small quantity of maocha was set aside, making it even rarer than the cakes produced from the same material.

The first sip of the opening infusion may seem deceptively simple, but allowing the liquor to rest in the mouth reveals its true nature. A remarkably watery, almost crystalline texture emerges, conveying an immediate sense of purity and vitality. There is a feeling that something special lies beneath the surface, quietly waiting to unfold.

The second infusion tells a completely different story. Accidentally left to steep for nearly two minutes, it transforms into a plunge into the depths of an ancient tea tree. The liquor becomes powerful, concentrated, and profoundly rich. Its thickness and weight on the palate leave no doubt about the quality of the material. A friend once remarked that with certain teas, you instantly know you are drinking genuine 100% gushu. This tea belongs firmly in that category. Even more than that, it expresses the unmistakable personality of a single tree, free from the compromises and smoothing effects of blending.

The energy arrives directly and with remarkable clarity. It feels focused, sharp, and unwavering, encouraging a state of calm concentration and presence. By the third infusion, sweetness begins to emerge alongside pulsating waves of Qi in the mouth and throat area, creating a sensation that is both stimulating and deeply satisfying.

As the session progresses, stronger bitter and astringent notes reveal themselves. Yet rather than feeling excessive, they seem entirely natural—part of a complete spectrum of flavours expressed by an ancient tea tree. In teas such as this, every characteristic appears magnified several times over compared to younger tea trees or teas blended from multiple sources. The sweetness is sweeter, the bitterness deeper, the energy stronger, and the mouthfeel more substantial.

These qualities can be carefully adjusted through brewing parameters, leaf-to-water ratio, and water temperature, allowing the drinker to explore different aspects of the tea. One of the most fascinating transformations occurs in the later infusions, where pronounced bitterness and astringency gradually evolve into lingering sweetness and notes of tropical fruit. This continual evolution keeps the session engaging from beginning to end.

Throughout many infusions, the liquor remains impressively thick, oily, and full of character. It is a tea that rewards patience, attention, and experimentation. More than simply a loose-leaf puerh, it represents a rare opportunity to experience an ancient single tea tree in its most direct form—a fleeting glimpse of the tea before it begins its journey as a pressed cake and before the years slowly transform its character.