Soft Power '07
Spring 2007 in a cake — Soft Power 2007 turns classic Yiwu raw pu-erh tea into pure charm. A decade in Jinghong’s warmer humidity built honeyed depth, then a move to Kunming in 2017 kept the profile clean and articulate. The liquor pours amber and glossy. Bitterness stays low while mineral sweetness slides into dried apricot, vanilla resin and a hint of sandalwood. The finish is long, cool and quietly persistent — the kind that invites another cup without ever shouting.
Made the traditional way — sun-dried green maocha, carefully steamed and pressed — it has settled into a poised groove that rewards both casual sipping and focused tasting. Expect supple texture, fine-grained tannins and a steady sweetness that gathers through the mid-palate. Yiwu’s softer style shows here as length rather than force, with a light camphor lift and gentle spice that bloom as the infusion cools.
If you value elegance over aggression, this sheng pu-erh is a graceful study in balance and time. It’s welcoming for newer drinkers, yet layered enough for seasoned palates to track aroma shifts in the cup and warmed leaf — think dried stonefruit, clean wood, a touch of sweet earth. The aftertaste lingers as a cool echo, leaving the mouth refreshed and the mind a little calmer.
Is this sheng or shu?
Sheng (raw pu-erh). It’s sun-dried and naturally ages over time — no wet-pile fermentation is used.
What does the Jinghong → Kunming storage contribute?
A decade in warmer, more humid Jinghong built color and sweetness; Kunming’s drier air since 2017 helped keep the profile clean and articulate.
How does the 2007 vintage show in the cup?
Aged character: low bitterness, smooth texture, mineral-sweet core, and a gentle dried-fruit warmth, with a lingering, cooling finish.
Cake vs loose — does it matter?
Cake compression slows and evens the transformation, integrating aroma and texture more cohesively than loose material over time.
What distinguishes Yiwu sheng from other areas?
Typically softer tannins and a silkier mouthfeel, trading brute force for length and sweetness — a style many seek in aged pu-erh flavour.