Yunnan is the birthplace of all tea — the genetic homeland of Camellia sinensis. Its ancient gushu (old tree) forests, some containing trees over 1,000 years old, produce pu-erh tea: the only tea category designed for multi-decade ageing. Pu-erh's unique identity rests on its post-fermentation and compression into cakes or bricks — a storage format that enables trade via the ancient Tea Horse Road (Cha Ma Gu Dao) to Tibet and Central Asia. Sheng (raw) pu-erh is considered an investment commodity; aged examples from legendary mountains like Lao Ban Zhang, Yi Wu, and Bing Dao command prices rivaling first-growth Bordeaux.
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 87 | Very good conditions; broad quality across Yunnan ancient tree regions. |
| 2022 | 92 | Outstanding ancient tree season; perfect spring moisture with dry late spring for concentration. |
| 2021 | 81 | Good growing conditions; solid Yunnan pu-erh quality with characteristic earthy depth. |
| 2020 | 86 | Excellent spring rains then dry harvest; benchmark conditions for Gushu ancient tree teas. |
| 2019 | 72 | Dry spring in Yunnan; lower first flush yield but ancient tree teas showed exceptional concentration. |