2007 Ba Nuo Raw Puerh

Private pressing from a Taiwanese producer, Shanghai stored. 

Processed in the old style intended for aging and with 14 years in clean Shanghai storage, this beautifully pressed cake has matured into a refined yet powerful expression of the classic Mengku region style.

Fans of aged Mengku Rongshi brand from this era (Mengku Hao, Mengku Spring Tips etc.) will have much to love, although this is a higher-grade old arbor expression.

TERROIR

Although Ba Nuo (close to Bingdao) is famous for its Teng Tiao (Rattan/Vine) style tea plants, this tea is NOT from these, but instead old growth, untended trees. The cake is dark with full strands and beautifully pressed. Aroma is surprisingly sharp and pungent for such an aged tea, evoking hay and sap. Initial steeps bring fragrant woods with elegant old root herbs and tongue-coating resin, a reminder that the most interesting Lincang teas aresn't all just cane sugar and soft florals.

TASTE PROFILE

Mid-session, the character is more floral, waxy and rock sugar sweet as the rooty bittersweet licorice character fades; thickness increases with successive steeps as does a fruity apricot character. The seemingly genteel personality is deceiving, as a grassy astringency will bite if pushed too hard. This changes again in final steeps (10+) which are endlessly sweet, simple syrup laced with white magnolia.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER, MR. LIAO - click here