Known as the “king of puer”, Ban Zhang teas have earned a reputation for their intensity, strong cha qi/energy and swift huigan (sweet aftertaste). This tea exemplifies those very things, with some early bitterness that very quickly dissolves in your mouth, transforming into a pleasant and persistent huigan. This semi-aged raw puer is a great example of what proper dry storage can do to good tea. While it exhibits a subdued bitterness, this tea still has quite a bit of astringency, and its dynamic range has been preserved quite well. Complex and full, this tea moves effortlessly from bitter to sweet, passing by a range of savory aromas on the way. These teas were originally produced by the “Ji Qing Nian Gua” tea company. We were unable to glean much more information about the producer outside of what is on the wrapper and certificate that came with this batch. Based on the available information, this tea is labelled as “Ban Zhang” (prior to “Lao/old” and “Xin/new” distinction) and “qiao mu”, or arbor. This tea was pressed as a special limited production of 1600 cakes, from which we offer cakes #505-546. As with all our teas, we assess and offer this tea solely based on its characteristics and quality. These cakes have been dry stored in Kunming by a single owner since 2006. Our feelings are that this is a great tea for drinking now, with a strong presence and cha qi, but also a potential gem for those with long term storage intentions. Click here for more information about this tea and brewing instructions. $0.62/gram
