Standing out from the crowd, this tea is pressed entirely from selected ancient trees in a sub-region of Banpen, successfully highlighting the best qualities of the area while retaining the complexity and depth of the land. It’s not hard to find bitter and aggressive teas in the Banpen-Banzhang-Laomane stretch. The trick is finding one that is balanced, but also with an intriguing personality. For us and for this year, this was that tea. As expected, there is some pleasant bitterness, but this tea is far from a one trick pony. The fragrance and flavour in the soup are enticing, and the mouthfeel quite full and layered, all with minimal roughness/astringency compared to other Banpen gushu. The huigan is quick to show up and there is a nice cooling sensation in the throat, making this a very comfortable tea to drink. Unsurprisingly, this tea has a strong energy and body feeling. Everyone’s physiology and experience of this will be different, but for us it’s more of a powerful hug that wraps around you and grounds you. As always with teas of this level, we recommend this for more experienced drinkers to enjoy over extended sessions, as some nuances may be lost on those new to puer. This is a special tea that deserves time and focused attention when brewing. $1.65/gram Region: Banpen, Xishuangbanna Prefecture Picking Period: April 1-5, 2025
