For hundreds of years, the historic Tea Horse Road between China and Tibet was one of the region’s most important thoroughfares. The route is still in use – a testament to China’s traditional trading past and the strength of its rapidly developing market.

One of the products to make its way along the arduous trail 1,000 years ago was puerh, a dark, earthy tea from the mountainous southwestern province of Yunnan. But for collectors and connoisseurs, puerh is no ordinary beverage.

“It is truly the most fascinating and complex category of tea. The beauty of puerh is in its ability to offer a tremendous range of flavours and characters during its natural ageing process,” says Bill Lee, executive director of the Institute of Masters of Tea Arts, a certified education provider that focuses on Chinese tea.