’09 Francisco Chapparal

Francisco Chaparral takes sweet chaparral grasses and flowers, crushes them to release their essence, and ferments that spirit into the cup — an image that captures the tea’s character perfectly. The profile opens with penetrating musk‑melon complexity, velour thickness, and a black‑pepper kick that creates an experience full of engaging contrasts. Each infusion carries a sense of movement: sweetness rising through the texture, bitterness sharpening the edges, and a steady depth anchoring the whole.

Crafted from silver pekoe material and pressed into a mini iron cake, Francisco Chaparral originates from Daxueshan, one of Lincang’s most recognized high‑mountain regions. The combination of altitude, pekoe grade, and firm compression gives the tea both vibrance and stamina, allowing it to express clarity while retaining the backbone that defines Mengku‑area productions. The leaf’s natural brightness is balanced by a grounded, mineral undertone that emerges more clearly as the session progresses.

Mengku Rongshi (MKRS) has maintained a reputation as a resolute “no spray” operation since its inception — quotation marks required to indicate this is the producer’s own claim. Their emphasis on clean material and traditional processing is reflected in the tea’s purity, drive, and exhilaration, qualities that speak to both the region and the factory’s long‑standing standards.

Stored in balanced Los Angeles conditions since January 2023, the tea has settled and integrated, developing cohesion without losing its Mengku‑driven edge. The result is a raw Puerh that delivers contrast, structure, and personality — a distinctive expression of Daxueshan material shaped by thoughtful processing and steady storage.

45¢

Mid-Aged Spicy Xiaguan Charm