Xin Ban Zhang Sheng Pu-erh

Xin Ban Zhang Sheng Pu-erh is a 2019 vintage raw pu-erh harvested from 100-200 year old tea trees in Xin Ban Zhang Village. Compressed into 200g cakes, it is a smooth tea with a complex mouthfeel. The sweet fruity flavour has a tannic base with a lasting citrus aftertaste.

The whole cakes are approximately 200g in weight and come in our usual handy zip pouches for easy storage.

We also offer samples that are 1/20th of the cake and are around 10g in weight. While we do our best to keep the samples intact, these may contain loose leaves that separated from the main cake during breakage.

Brewing guide: 2.5g in 250ml water at 95°C for 2-3 minutes

£2.60£36.00

(10-200g)

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Origin:Xin Ban Zhang, Menghai County, Yunnan Province
Elevation:1,600-1,700m
Cultivar:Camellia sinensis var. assamica
Harvest time:30 March 2019
Sourcing:Specialist Chinese Wholesaler

Description

Xin Ban Zhang Sheng Pu-erh (新班章生普洱) is a raw pu-erh that comes from Xinbanzhang Village located in the mountainous region of Menghai County in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The 200g cakes are made from leaves harvested from 100-200 year old arbour tea trees growing at an altitude of 1,600-1,700 metres. This particular production is from 30 March 2019. While still young, these cakes can be enjoyed straight away or put away for further ageing.

Xinbanzhang (新班章) is a village located high up in the mountainous Menghai County in Yunnan Province. The name would be familiar to connoisseurs of pu-erh as this is a neighbouring village of the famous Laobanzhang Village (老班章). Lao Ban Zhang pu-erh has been crowned, by some, as the ‘King of Pu-erh’. This means that teas from Laobanzhang attract much higher prices than from neighbouring mountains and villages. Authenticity and pricing issues aside, Lao Ban Zhang pu-erh is highly regarded for the powerful characteristics of the tea as well as the history of production in the area that goes back over 500 years. By contrast Xin Ban Zhang pu-erh has not gained such notoriety and presents a much better quality to price proposition.

Xin Ban Zhang Sheng Pu-erh raw pu-erh comes pressed in small 200g cakes and displays a complex bold mouthfeel with rich multi-layered flavours. It produces a clean liquor with a fruity and lightly woody aroma. This sheng delivers the expected strong character and lively Cha Qi. There are mineral and woody umami flavours and notes of hay, dried exotic fruits, apricot kernels and yuzu zest. The interplay between savoury and sweet flavours then progresses onto a lasting sweet yet lightly tannic finish.

We suggest brewing parameters of 90-98°C for 3-5 minutes according to your taste, brewing multiple times. Prise off a required amount of leaves with a sharp knife or pu-erh knife and brew multiple times. Categorically, for best results brew Gong Fu style, using 5g per 100ml in a good traditional clay pot. When brewed Gong Fu style we suggest briefly washing the leaves and then following with multiple short infusions.