Lao Banzhang (老班章)
archetype: King of the mountain
A king of the mountain in a thick hide: a regal might, a dense bitterness, a powerful strength, a long honey return.
History
Lao Banzhang is a small village in Menghai (Yunnan), on the slopes of Mount Bulang. The canonical sheng from here is the 'king of bitterness' of Yunnanese puer: a powerful dense bitterness turning into a long honey sweetness ('hui gan'). The style is so strong that Lao Banzhang has become a brand, and today it is faked like no other sheng. A real Lao Banzhang is only from the 'mother' mountain and in marked cakes.
Terroir
'Mother' gardens are the villages of Lao Banzhang and the neighbouring Xin Banzhang. Old trees (300+ years) give the most powerful profile; for one kilo of finished tea, hand-picking is done from dozens of trees.
Leaf
a dense bitterness, forest honey, mountain stone, a long powerful return very long; the returning sweetness lasts 40–60 minutes — more powerful than any other sheng
Properties
very high content of catechins and caffeine; strong stimulation, for an experienced tea body powerful, dense, regal; felt as 'the weight of a crown on the head' high (55–75 mg)
Brewing ritual
a 100 ml gaiwan — a strong leaf needs short steeps; 100 °C; 6 g / 100 ml. 4s — the first strike: a dense bitterness, honey; 5s — the peak of strength: mountain stone, a tigerine density; 6s — a huge hui gan — the sweetness rises; 9s — a regal length in the throat; 15s — a late powerful trail; 28s — the finale — a slow honey throne; 50s — a far returning sweetness.
When to drink
day — never evening. spring and autumn. when a regal bitterness is needed, for the experienced, for long work