2022 Xi Niu Tang Ancient Tree Puerh

FatBat Private Pressing Gushu Raw Puerh

犀牛唐古树

Aficionados of Bulang teas will be familiar with the broader Pasha region. This is first flush picking of Grade 1 gushu from Xi Niu Tang (Rhino Pond), the finest gushu garden in Pasha Middle Village.

Lovers of forest-type teas will find this one fascinating. A tea with fairly unique characteristics, this is several degrees more untamed and wilder-tasting (野韵) than the cultivated Banzhang gardens, while adding significant intensity and bitter heft compared with the "forest teas" of the six mountains (Yiwu/Yibang Guoyoulin regions).

This was very expensive material to acquire, and we insisted that shaqing / kill-green process be done solely by the "master" of the processing house we employ. This is the level of tea where the close link between Pasha and Lao Banzhang becomes obvious (see Terroir section for more).

This flagship cake has power and substance for the long haul; we recommend it to those who can afford to store it with respect and observe its transformation with time.

TERROIR

Pasha's links to Lao Banzhang are widely recognized. Lao Banzhang was cultivated by settlers who originally moved from Pasha and seeded new tea gardens from the original Pasha cultivars. The tea produced in these two regions is similar, boasting "big" profiles with a certain bitterness and tannin which gives way quickly to lasting huigan. Pasha is actually comprised of 3 villages (New, Old and Middle), with Pasha Middle Village being known for the best gushu tea gardens.

Xi Niu Tang in Pasha Middle Village is not a new area, but has only in recent years been specifically "named" in gushu productions. This micro-region has reached new heights this year, with record-breaking prices for its Cha Wang Shu (King Tea Tree, the largest gushu in the village) being fetched at auction. While our pressing is not from this tree, such absurd market-action is indicative of how sought-after a certain region is. We believe it is because of how close the tea can be brought to Lao Banzhang standards (given right processing/tree-selection and with notable flavor differences of course), without the price insanity of the latter region.

TECHNICALS