Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Two Menghai-area mountains producing balanced sheng, often sold interchangeably by sellers who blend across gardens.
Point by point
| Dimension | Nannuo sheng pu-erh | Jingmai sheng pu-erh |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Dark tea and pu-erh · not applicable · post-fermented (natural ageing) | Dark tea and pu-erh · not applicable · post-fermented (natural ageing) |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Sun-drying (shai qing) → Compression → Ageing and storage. spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying → Compression → Ageing and storage. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China — Nannuo Mountain and Menghai | China — Jingmai |
| Flavour | sweet, woody and vegetal. full bodied and complex in the mouth. Aroma: honey, green wood, light smoke. Layered in character. Bold in intensity. | floral, sweet and woody. medium, smooth and complex in the mouth. Aroma: orchid, honey, wildflower, green wood. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 8s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 8s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.