Bojun Ripe Pu-erh 2019 (500g Cake) — Mengku Rongshi

Bojun was introduced in 2017. By 2019, after two years of refinement and market feedback, the formula had found its form. This is the vintage that established the tea's reputation — the one that made Bojun a name people started looking for specifically. Stored since production in Xi'an's dry northern climate, it now carries years of clean aging. One format: a single 500g compressed cake.

Why 2019

Mengku Rongshi launched Bojun in 2017 as their first serious departure from conventional ripe pu-erh — a different fermentation method, a different flavor target. The first two years were the proving ground. By 2019, the process had stabilized, the recipe was dialed in, and the tea started drawing consistent attention within the industry.

This is not a retrospective judgment. The recognition happened in real time: 2019 Bojun sold steadily, held its price, and became the reference point for what this tea could be. The following year — 2020 — Bojun was officially selected as one of Yunnan's Ten Famous Teas, a recognition that in part reflected what the 2019 vintage had demonstrated.

The cake itself reflects the maturity of that moment. The dry leaf is well-formed: tightly compressed but not overly so, reddish-brown with visible bud tips, the material consistent throughout.

The Tea

Raw material: One bud plus two leaves, from vine-trained Mengku large-leaf trees in Shuangjiang, Lincang. The same selection standard used for Bojun sheng (raw) pu-erh.

Fermentation: The brand's own method — material is sorted and fermented in separate batches, each one managed precisely for temperature, humidity, turning schedule, and duration. Blending happens after fermentation, not before. This approach results in a higher proportion of aromatic compounds (floral and fruity) and a lower presence of the "pile smell" that comes with conventional large-pile wodui fermentation. Fermentation is intentionally kept on the lighter side, which preserves more active compounds and results in gallic acid levels above what's typical in conventional ripe pu-erh.

Aged in Xi'an

Xi'an sits in northwest China — dry climate, seasonal temperatures, low annual humidity. It's a natural dry storage environment: aging proceeds slowly and cleanly, without the intervention of the warm humid conditions you'd find in Yunnan or Guangdong.

Years in this climate have done what dry storage does well. The initial sharpness is gone. The soup has become more cohesive, rounder, easier to drink across a full session. The core Bojun character — the floral and caramel notes, the sweetness, the texture — is intact, with some additional depth that wasn't there at production. No mustiness. No warehouse smell. Clean throughout.

What It Tastes Like Now

Appearance: The compressed cake is even in color — reddish-brown, with fat, well-formed leaves and visible bud tips. Moderate compression.

Aroma: Floral and caramel, with a sweetness that comes through both dry and in the cup. Some drinkers also detect a light dried-fruit note that develops with age. No pile smell.

Soup: Deep red, clear, with good brightness. The texture is thick and smooth — the kind of weight that's noticeable from the first sip. Years of aging has added cohesion; the soup feels more settled than a younger Bojun.

Taste: Rich and sweet, with a clean finish. There's a lasting sweetness after each sip, and a light, refreshing salivating quality that carries through the session. Both are more pronounced in this tea than in most conventional ripe pu-erh.

Durability: Six to seven steepings comfortably, more with patience. The first few bring the most aromatic expression; later steepings move toward quieter sweetness and a faint wood note.

One thing to know: Bojun ferments lighter than most conventional ripe pu-erh, and gallic acid content is relatively high. Some drinkers will notice a mild fruit-acid quality — faintly reminiscent of green plum — particularly in the early steepings. This is a characteristic of the tea, not a defect, and it's part of what makes Bojun's flavor profile distinct. It has softened considerably with extended aging, but it's still there. If you're sensitive to acidity in tea, letting the broken leaves breathe for a week or two before your first session will help.

A Note on Price

Because Mengku Rongshi held firm pricing discipline on this vintage from the start, the 2019 cake has always carried a premium — and that hasn't changed. If your main interest is experiencing what Bojun tastes like, the 2020 cake is a genuine alternative: the same tea, one year younger, at a more accessible price point. The 2019 makes sense if the vintage specifically matters to you, or if you're buying with long-term storage in mind.

Brewing Guide

Awaken the tea first
Break off what you plan to use and let it sit loosely in an open bowl or breathable container for one to two weeks before your first session. Years of compression means the leaves benefit from time to open up. If you're brewing the same day, even a few hours at room temperature makes a difference.

Vessel
Yixing clay pot or porcelain gaiwan. The pot holds heat well and softens the texture further; the gaiwan keeps the flavors more distinct and lets you track the tea across steepings. Both are appropriate here.

Water
Filtered or spring water. Full boil — 95–100°C (203–212°F).

Ratio
Approx. 5–6g per 110ml (roughly 1:20 by weight).

Rinse
One rinse, 5–10 seconds. Discard. Opens the leaves and clears any surface dust.

Steeping Times (Gongfu)

Pour the first steepings quickly. This is where the fruit-acid brightness is most present — a fast pour keeps it balanced. The character settles as the session continues.

Storage After Purchase

• Keep somewhere cool, dry, ventilated, and away from strong odors
• Rewrap in the original cotton paper; store in a clean cardboard box or unglazed ceramic jar
• Avoid completely airtight containers — some air exchange is good
• In a very dry climate, seal loosely to prevent the cake from drying out too quickly
• If storing long-term, check the cake every six months: dry, no off-smell, no visible mold

This cake is ready to drink now. It will also continue to develop with further storage.

The Bojun Series

Bojun is currently available in three editions, each pressed as a 500g cake. Click through to compare: