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It usually begins modestly enough with green, black, or white tea. Then you might discover the rich, orchestral aromatics of premium oolongs. But when you try your first quality Puer, there's a chance you'll never look back.

Puer tea is often the endpoint for tea obsessives. The ne plus ultra, a final destination and a never ending quest for perfection at the same time. The variations in flavor, texture, and psychoactive effects are unparalleled in the tea world. They don't fit neatly into any box.

Maybe you've been invited to a "tea tasting" event, or maybe you'd like to host one for friends, or maybe you're simply interested in keeping a journal with tasting notes of teas you're exploring (It's OK, tea can be a social hobby or an introverted one!).

While it's entirely possible to enjoy tea without using detailed descriptions, this practice can enhance your appreciation and understanding of tea drinking. Developing your palate, so to speak, can also help you navigate the wide world of tea and find more teas you love.

Gongfu style brewing is a technique that will allow you to experience the full range and complexity of flavor that an amazing tea can provide. You can think of it a bit like music. That Miles Davis record may sound fine on your bluetooth speaker. But a high-end stereo setup will let you hear new depths — maybe whole new melodies — even in a song you know by heart. 

Navigating the ins and outs of raw and ripe Puer tea can be a confusing endeavor, but luckily you’ve got a guide who has been living in China and drinking Puer tea for about two decades to break it down in practical terms. We will help you nail down the differences of terminology, identify the main differences between the tea types, and even help you choose the right tea for you based on your own tastes. With our help, you’ll find that Puer tea is a lot easier to understand than you might think.

We are currently on a break for Chinese New Year, giving some well earned rest and family celebration to the dedicated postal workers of China. We will be on break until February 22nd. If you order during the break, we will ship as soon as we can when postal service resumes.

Happy year of the dragon!

Discover the most energizing, stimulating teas for focus, including raw and ripe Puer and black, white, and green tea, with recommendations and helpful tips.

If you’re considering tea for an energy boost, then you’re already making a very good choice. The right tea can be an excellent way to invigorate the mind and body. But before we jump into our review of the best energizing teas, a word of fair warning: we’re not going to spend a lot of time talking about tea chemistry in this article.

Oolong or  wulong is a broad category of teas, in the spectrum between green and black tea, that originate in China. What sets oolong apart is that it can be processed with various different oxidation and roasting levels. The unique variations in the process to produce oolong create a wide array of flavors and sensations. Oolong can taste fresh, green, floral, fruity, roasted, woody, nutty, or honey-sweet, so this is a type of tea that can appeal to virtually all taste buds. Different tea plant varietals, seasons, styles, and regional terroir also influence flavor.

Shou Puer tea, also called ripe Puer, is a post-fermented tea from Yunnan province, China. Made using raw Puer tea as the base material, the pile fermentation process transforms this green caterpillar into a magnificent dark butterfly. Or at least that’s how we look at it.

In this guide, you'll learn the history of shou Puer, how it's made, how to find and appreciate high-quality cakes, and more.

Raw or sheng puer tea is like no other. Learn what makes it special and the importance of region, age, processing, and more.

We're still in the tea mountains of Menghai, but that doesn't mean we can't release a few of our latest teas!

We're having a sale this weekend with free international shipping for all orders of $39 or more. Use coupon code "spring23" and pick up some of our new roasted teas like Charing Cross or Swerve, or maybe a pine smoked Puer tea like Firebat or Stubb. It's a great time to stock up on old favorites or try our latest productions.

At white2tea we try to keep our prices steady throughout the year, with a once yearly price adjustment to reflect aging, costs and market prices. It’s the last weekend before we will update our prices for aged teas from 2021 and earlier. If you’ve been eyeing aged cakes and waiting to make a move, now is the time! (here’s a link to our raw Puer teas, just in case you need it)