Bingdao Sheng (冰島生普)
archetype: Sweet mountain peak
A sweet peak above the clouds: a powerful mountain sweetness, an icy freshness in the throat, a long sugar return.
History
Bingdao is the name of a village in the Lincang mountains (Yunnan). The word 'bing dao' literally means 'ice island', and the tea's character matches the name: an icy freshness, a sugary base, a crystalline sweetness. Sheng from old Bingdao trees (200+ years) is today considered one of the most expensive teas in China; the price of 'mother' cakes rises faster than for any other variety of puer.
Terroir
'Lao Bingdao' means leaf from old trees of the actual Bingdao Lao Zhai village. All other 'Bingdao' are the surrounding gardens sold under the common name.
Leaf
icy sugar, ripe apple, mountain air, a floral altitude, a very long hui gan very long; the returning sweetness lasts 30–40 minutes and more
Properties
rich in natural sugars and theanine, relatively low catechins — hence a 'friendly' profile; considered 'the best female sheng' crystalline, ascending into the head; felt as 'the ringing of high air' moderate (35–50 mg)
Brewing ritual
a white 110 ml gaiwan; 100 °C; 6 g / 110 ml. 5s — the first sugar: apple, mountain altitude; 7s — the peak: icy sugar, a floral note; 9s — a huge hui gan — the sweetness returns long; 12s — a long sugar trail; 20s — a late floral altitude; 32s — the finale — an icy coolness in the throat; 55s — a very late note — mountain air.
When to drink
day. spring and autumn. for an icy sweetness, for refinement, as a gift to a connoisseur