In May of this year, there were some extraordinary weeks in the Yunnan region of China, when a herd of 14 elephants moved more than 500 km from their protected habitat and ventured between villages until they arrived very close to where our supplier has its production plant.

Asian elephants were almost extinct in this region. In the 1980s there were only a hundred of them, but the government took it upon itself to protect them by creating 11 special zones for them and now there are more than 300 of them living peacefully in this remote area of ​​China that borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. In fact, they live very close to Xishuangbanna, the area where it is believed that the Camellia Sinensis (the tea plant) originated and where many wild trees of our beloved Tea are still found.

As soon as the elephants were seen near a village, more than 1,300 people, 330 official vehicles and garbage trucks, and 11 drones were mobilized to follow them 24/7 to avoid possible problems with the inhabitants of the areas where the elephants were passing, obviously destroying crops and causing a stir. Most of these people had only seen elephants in photographs or on television and this was their first sighting of a live animal.
Garbage trucks also loaded feed for the large mammals and tried to “move” the elephants out of crowded areas, but more than 11,000 people had to be evacuated to avoid accidents. Fire trucks also helped bring water to the elephants near where they were moving.
The authorities also informed the villagers about the habits of the elephants and the fact that they are protected to avoid any kind of problem with them. Apparently these elephants have been out of their reserve for almost a year, so the authorities are making an effort to return them to the same place where they are much safer.
This whole adventure motivated the creation of this Pu erh in the form of a 100 gr cake with an illustration of the event and in order for it to be a collectible tea, Pu erh Elephant, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't drink it, on the contrary, I invite you to drink a cup of this beautiful tea from time to time and imagine what a special experience the inhabitants of that remote region of China lived. Remember that you should keep your Pu erh cake in a dark place, at medium temperature (20-23°C) and with controlled humidity, preferably put it in an airtight bag, taste it from time to time and notice how its flavor changes over time. I suggest you make it the Chinese way, or gong fu cha, this will make you enjoy it even more!
Beautiful life stories like this nourish not only our body but our soul, cheers with a healthy cup of Elephant Pu erh.

Olivia Medina de Jönsson

Tea Master, EURO TEA