Harvest Date: 1998
Harvest Location: Menghai
Cultivar: Da Ye
Elevation: approximately 1500m - leaves pressed from maocha harvested from different tea gardens in the menghai region.
Few teas in the world of Pu’er carry the same reverence and mystique as the 1998 Red Seal CNNP. Produced during the transitional era of late-1990s Pu’er production, when traditional craftsmanship met the early wave of modern demand, this tea is a true relic of its time. Pressed under the China National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation (CNNP) label, and stamped with the now-iconic “red seal” neifei (inner ticket), this tea represents both historical continuity and aged excellence.
Crafted from sun-dried large-leaf maocha sourced from Menghai and nearby regions, this cake reflects the traditional production methods of the 1990s—careful hand processing, natural sun-drying, stone compression, and clean storage principles that would prove essential for long-term aging.
Now, with over two and a half decades of age, this Red Seal Pu’er has matured beautifully. The aroma is rich and layered—notes of camphor, aged wood, dried Chinese herbs, and a subtle sweetness that suggests preserved plums and longan.
The first infusions offer a smooth, gentle entrance, immediately showcasing the rounded mouthfeel and warming energy that only well-aged tea can deliver. There’s a distinct cooling sensation in the throat, followed by a clean, camphor-like aftertaste and a sweet, persistent hui gan (returning sweetness). Later infusions deepen further, with notes of antique leather, forest floor, and a faint wisp of incense—reminiscent of old libraries or temple air.
The "Red Seal" cakes are part of a lineage of CNNP teas that built the global reputation of aged Pu’er. While earlier Red, Blue, and Yellow Label cakes from the '60s, '70s and '80s are now museum pieces or locked in private collections, the 1998 Red Seal is more accessible. Each cake is a time capsule—not just of the leaves, but of the era it came from.
Tasting Notes
Liquor Color: Deep amber to reddish-brown
Aroma: Camphor, dried jujube, polished wood, forest floor
Flavor: Smooth, woody, aged herbal tones with cooling camphor and subtle plum sweetness
Mouthfeel: Silky and coating, with lasting hui gan
Cha Qi: Deep, calming, grounding
