Mansa Gushu 2016 Tong

This Mansa Gushu 2016 Yunnan Storage Tong represents the complete expression of a tea that has accompanied us since our earliest encounters with Yunnan. It is the same tea that left a lasting impression on our first journey through the region and continues to stand as a reference point for well-structured, age-worthy Pu-erh tea.

The tong contains a full set of 357 g cakes pressed in 2016 from leaves of old tea trees in Mansa, some estimated to be up to 300 years old. The material was carefully selected by Yang Ming and Panda, then deliberately held back rather than released immediately. From the beginning, the tea was stored in Yunnan, where it has matured slowly under local conditions.

Long-term storage in Xishuangbanna has allowed the individual cakes within the tong to develop consistently, gaining depth and balance while maintaining the clarity typical of Mansa material. This makes the tong a coherent snapshot of the tea’s evolution and a representative example of our Yunnan Storage Series.

The growing environment in Mansa plays an important role in the tea’s character. Tea trees grow in a mix of shaded and sun-exposed areas. Leaves from shaded plots contribute elegance and floral nuances, while sun-exposed material adds structure, body, and a steady, grounding Cha Qi. Over the years, these elements have integrated into a calm, rounded profile with clear origin character.

Only a limited number of tongs were preserved in Yunnan and released after extended aging. This tong offers not just a single tasting experience, but the opportunity to follow the tea’s development across multiple sessions and years, with maturity already present and further potential ahead.

Who are Tea Masters Panda and Yang Ming?

Tea Masters Panda and Yang Ming have been long-standing partners in our Pu-erh projects, each contributing deep, hands-on experience from different perspectives. Yang Ming is a tea farmer based in Yiwu, coming from a family with a long history of Pu-erh production. His gardens also provide the leaf material for our well-known Lucky Bee series.

Tea Master Panda, originally from Sichuan, settled in Yunnan to work closely with Pu-erh teas and their storage. Alongside his practical experience with aging and release, he is trained in traditional Chinese calligraphy and has a strong background in Chinese history. This broader cultural understanding informs his careful, measured approach to handling and maturing Pu-erh over time.