The highlands of Yunnan have a mild, subtropical climate up to a high elevation. The highland slopes are mostly southern-facing, and are therefore more heavily influenced by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
This tea is grown at an elevation of 1,500m in the Wuliang Mountains above the city of Pu'er, far removed from industry. Rather than any major motorways, it is the historical Tea Horse Road that cuts through the tea fields. Traditionally, various large leafed cultivars are grown in Yunnan, which in some cases stem from very old tea plants.
Only the best young buds are selected for this tea, of which just a few kilos are produced each year. According to a secret method, the buds are withered inside at night and then subsequently and traditionally sun-dried.