How the afternoon unfolds
The Yiwu mountains in southern Xishuangbanna sit at the quiet end of Shēng Pǔ’ěr (生普洱) — slow, sweet, slightly honeyed, never aggressive. Mahei is a small village within that area, and in spring 2026 the first pluck came down around the third week of March. By June, the máochá (毛茶) has rested just long enough to read clearly — the grassiness has settled, but the tea has not yet begun the long shift that aging will bring. This cupping is built around that narrow window.
The session begins at 14:00 with a short orientation. Amgalan Chin will walk through the geography first — where Mahei sits relative to Guafengzhai, Tongqinghe, and the older Yibang stones — and then the six teas of the afternoon. All six are 2026 first-flush, all from gardens within roughly four kilometres of the village centre, and all processed in the same week. The point of the cupping is not to crown a favourite. It is to read the differences between gardens and pluckers when almost every other variable is held still.
From 14:30 to 15:30 we cup the first three teas in a traditional competition format — 3g, 150ml, five-minute steep in covered cups. This is the diagnostic pass. You will taste the bitterness profile, the huígān (回甘) return, the texture on the back of the tongue. Notes are taken on printed scorecards, no scoring required, just observations. Amgalan will move between seats and prompt where useful.
A fifteen-minute break follows, with spring water, plain rice crackers, and a chance to rinse the palate.
From 15:45 to 16:45 we shift into gōngfū format for the same three teas plus the remaining three. Smaller pots, shorter steeps, six to eight infusions per tea, poured by two pourers working in parallel so the table stays in sync. This is where the teas begin to tell longer stories — the way Mahei opens in the third and fourth steep, the way one of the gardens carries a cooler, almost menthol finish into the late infusions. We talk less during this stretch. The teas do the work.
The final twenty minutes are for questions and for tasting any teas you want to revisit. Amgalan will also pour a small comparison — a 2019 Mahei from the same producer, brought along so the table has at least one reference point for what these teas may become. Pressed cakes will not be sold at the venue, but tasting notes and sourcing details for each lot are published on shop.puerh.app for anyone who wants to follow up afterwards. Members of tea.community receive a standing 10% discount on cupping seats across the constellation, applied at checkout.
The afternoon ends at 17:00. Most attendees stay another half hour to talk. The venue stays open until 18:00.
What you get
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Six 2026 first-flush Yiwu Mahei teas, cupped competition-style and then gōngfū-style
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A printed reference sheet with garden coordinates, pluck dates, and producer notes
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One comparison pour — a 2019 Mahei from the same producer, for aging reference
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Three hours of facilitation with Amgalan Chin, who sources directly from the region
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Spring water and a neutral palate-cleanser between rounds
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Tasting notebook and a porcelain pǐnmíngbēi (品茗杯) cup to take home
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Follow-up access to lot details and small-format cakes via shop.puerh.app
Practical details
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Venue — Private tea room in Berlin Mitte, two minutes from Rosenthaler Platz. Full address sent 48 hours before the session.
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Language — English throughout, with German and Russian available for questions. Mandarin terms used and translated as they come up.
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Dress — Comfortable, unscented. No perfume, cologne, or strongly scented hand lotion — it travels into the cups.
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Food — Light neutral crackers and spring water provided. Please eat a real meal beforehand — six teas on an empty stomach is a long afternoon.
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Accessibility — Ground floor, step-free entrance, accessible bathroom. Seating is at a long shared table — let us know in advance if you need a specific arrangement.
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Kit included — All cupping equipment, cups, water, and notes. Bring nothing except a pen if you prefer your own. Further reading lives on tea.school.
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Capacity — Twenty seats, single seating. The table fills quickly for spring cuppings — reserve early if dates are firm for you.