China - 5 stars

Material for this cake came from Man Nan Lao Zhai in Hekai mountain. Man Nan Lao Zhai is home of Lahu minority. There are very few small trees in the tea gardens, most of the tea trees are really old, which have lived for several hundred years. We picked out the first picking tea in late March before the rains came. Silver and fat buds, dark leaves, strong aroma. The taste is rich, oily and full in mouth, bitter as Hekai is, aftertaste is fast and sweet. This tea come from the...

The LaoManE rules over this autumn teas. In this village you may find really bitter tea and also sweet teas as the villagers call it. This one is something from the first and second too, very balanced and drinkable from it's very fresh state. Masterly picked and made maocha makes a great tea, made by a very skillfull and modest buddhist monk. A tea that comes with its sharp edge, a fruity center and very well defined taste.

Lao Yu (老妪) : old woman Material for this cake came from a small Bulang village in Bada mountain. This village have very small quantity of tea trees that grow in the forest. Trees are relative old, but farmers cut the branches when trees get too tall. Tea trees are kept at easy-picking height because the tea is picked and made by old women in this village. They follow ancient ways to produce tea. Many of them make tea only for themself. We selected and bought good...

The Naka king makes its way with a robust and specific taste even in the autumn season. Very powerful tea that despite it's overwhelming strengh makes you calm and quiet. Sweetish and very pleasant aftertaste. Nicely made leaves are visible from the first sight, strong stalks and veins are apparent in this high mountain gushu pu-erh tea.

This cake is one of the "four cakes set(Yiwu, Manzhuan, Menghai and Yibang)"which were produced by master Shi Kun Mu. Cakes have the same wrapper but different seal which is the name of mountain. Taiwanese master Shi Kun Mu is famous tea producer of highest quality ancient arbor puerh teas. He selects the materials personally and monitors production process from beginning to end. This cake is made of pure spring acient arbor tea from Yibang mountain. Yibang mountain is one of...

Boyou was founded in 2005, now is one of the factories which still adhere to the strictest sanitary standard in Xishuangbanna. Boyou TF hire Master Huang An Shun who was fermentation workshop director working at the Menghai Tea factory since 1957 to be supervisor for fermentation process. 05 series ripe puerh is the first batch of products. Used 2005 fermented and matured materials, after more than six months storage, select 7th grade material and blended into this...

The best ripe tuo cha this factory has ever made. The 801 product line is well known for the highest grade of leaves and mellow taste. Handpicked in high mountains (more than 2000 meters high mountain area in Wuliangshan), large leaf tea. Finely and traditionally processed. After 7 years aging, the tea produces sweet, smooth taste and aged fragrance of dried longan. A full deep ruby colored liquor with nice aroma. Very good storage in Kunming! Such a good tea is...

„tailor-made” private production “Zhong Cha Gong Si” This tea was stored for the whole time in mountain district of Taiwan. 7581 is the number and formula which originated in Kun Ming Tea Factory, the earliest production was in 1970 decade and famous for the fragrance of jujube. 75 means the year they started to use this recipe, the 8 means the grade of tea leaves are larger and older and with some stems, the 1 refers to the factory code which is CNNP This...

„tailor-made” private production “Zhong Cha Gong Si” This tea was stored for the whole time in Guangzhou, moved to Taiwan in July 2013. 7581 is the number and formula which originated in Kun Ming Tea Factory, the earliest production was in 1970 decade and famous for the fragrance of jujube. 75 means the year they started to use this recipe, the 8 means the grade of tea leaves are larger and older and with some stems, the 1 refers to the factory code which is...

This tea was a bit of an experiment for us. We'd found 2 different maochas from Bulang mountain, which were each excellent, but in different ways. One was old trees from around Manmu village, while the other was old trees from a few km away. We went back and forth, trying to choose one of them to press into cakes, and in the end decided to blend the two teas. The Manmu was very pure in flavour with a strong qi and strong ku (pleasant bitterness), the other was thicker in the mouth and more...

this tea is sold only as a sample, each order is limited to have only 2 samples of this tea aroma of a freshly baked bread with fruity tones, very specific scent and taste, energetic bitternes, in some parts very similar to the one from Lao Banzhang, disappearing after a while and leaving strong and pleasant aftertaste, the similarity with Banzhang they say it is used in good fakes of Lao Banzhang, this year this tea sold only as samples, the ordered 5 kg of this was sold on...

Processing: discontinuation of oxidation, rolling, sun drying, humidification, pressing performed hydraulically, tea, however, can be fairly well divided. Leaf: excellent quality leaves with a very good share of buds, the overall appearance is neat and uniform. Scent of dry leaf is medium strong, harmonious, floral with hints of dark fruit and cane sugar. Infusion: Color is golden honey, the smell fully corresponds with the smell of dry leaf, as opposed to the more perceptible...

Material came from the same tea trees with Longjing green tea. The dry tea leaves are rolled tightly and full of aroma. The liquor has a deep ruby red, aroma of ripe berries, nuts and cinnamon with a little dark chocolate flavor, fresh and velvety smooth mouthfeel, with a surprisingly long, charming aftertaste. Really worth a try! Producing area : Hangzhou area , Zhejiang province Production date : Early April 2013

Lao Banzhang 2004 is a pu-erh pressed into bamboo tubes. Mighty and rich tea soup reminds us its great power and true origin. It's making is not masterly but back in 2004, when LBZ was not that which is today, they did no care much about good tea processing. In spite of this one could taste and have a feeling how LBZ could develop in almost 10 years of storing. Stored in Taiwan.

Lao Banzhang is the pu-erh that you will pay the most money for and the pu-erh that you find most likely a fake. Is it that good, is it worth it, try it and you make your own opinion. A few people that tried this one said it's the best pu they had. Now 7 gram samples for trying it - €9