Made from the Yunnan large-leaf tea tree, loose-leaf pu-erh tea is an uncompressed variation that preserves the natural appearance of the tea leaves while embodying the same essence as compressed pu-erh tea. Compared to tea cakes and other compressed forms of pu-erh tea, loose-leaf pu-erh tea has a larger surface area, which allows it to come into contact with air more easily, enabling it to age more quickly and develop rich, aged flavors earlier.