Banpo Lao Zhai 2024

For aspiring scholars of Sheng.

After an arduous search, we are proud to be able to offer a premium tea from our shop’s namesake region again. This Gushu Sheng Pu’er was harvested from the Long family’s tea garden in the middle of the forest on Nannuo mountain, next to their old home at an altitude of 1600-1700m. They have since moved a bit further down the slope, but still own and maintain their garden in Banpo Lao Zhai. The level of care the Long family has for their tea comes through not just in the gentle stone pressing of the leaves and the handwritten calligraphy on each wrapper, but also in the tea itself. Its processing is a bit gentler than the typical Menghai high temperature Sha Qing, which produces a rich tea. The long and lush leaves infuse into a viscous and vibrant tea soup, coating the mouth and filling it with a variety of tastes. A sweet peach fragrance expands on the palate, bringing along with it a woody and resinous backbone accompanied by a feeling of freshness akin to watermelon rinds. Like an orchestra, this tea hits high notes, low notes, and everything in between in a dynamic fashion that responds directly to how its conductor—the one preparing the tea—guides it. It rewards getting to know it in detail across multiple sessions, as doing so will also improve our own understanding of how we approach tea. A great tea for learning, but also perfect to enjoy as a pleasant drink.

Written by Sigi