Why have a cake when you can have a slice? It's pu'er à la carte, with quality mao cha pressed into a very thin wafer, then cut into individual 8-gram serving sizes. The individual packaging makes it the perfect pu'er for travel and obviates the need for measurement: simply use a whole slice or break one in two for your gongfu cha session. Available individually, in cartons of 6 slices, and boxes of 4 cartons.

Intense and savory, the Slices of Shu seep out a dark, faintly violet liquor full of umami—aged soy sauce, dried mushroom, and nutty malt—with an almost chewy, soup-like texture. Though it's distinctly earthy, evoking an aged paperback book, it simultaneously manages the cleanness of a good port wine, without any mustiness or bitterness. For any who crave a rich and salty shu, it really hits the spot.

See Slices of Sheng for a light and fruity sheng pu'er with the same style of pressing.

Watch our Slices of Pu'er tasting for an in-depth look at these unusual pu'ers.