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Despite the name, this Lao Man E raw puer is actually made from what’s considered “sweet” varietal arbour material. Compared to a gentler Yiwu, a fragrant Jingmai or a sweet Lincang, this Bulang region tea has a prominent “kuwei”, or bitter flavour up front. However, a pleasant sweetness and excellent huigan quickly follow and linger in the mouth and throat. The village of Lao Man E is located not too far down the road from Laobanzhang, which tends to see it often passed off as genuine Laobanzhang due to an overlapping flavour profile and character – at a fraction of the price, of course. This tea is one of our favourite finds of 2018, as it represents a slight departure from some of our usual finds. If you are new to puer and/or easily scared off by bitterness in tea, then we advise picking up a tea from a more welcoming region, like Yiwu. If you’re looking for a tea that’s highly enjoyable with a bit of bite, then look no further. Alternatively, our Lao Man E huangpian is another good option for those who want to dial the bitterness back slightly, yet still want the Lao Man E experience. Want to bring on the bitter? Then our Xtra Bitter End is for you. Made from “bitter varietal” ancient tree material, experience the tea equivalent of getting punched in the mouth (hurts so good). $0.42/gram