2025 Xi Niu Tang Puerh

FatBat Private Pressing Gushu Raw Puerh

帕莎 犀牛塘古树

We return this year to the famed Pasha micro-region of Xi Niu Tang (Rhino Pond), to the very same garden from which we sourced our well-received (and now sold out) 2022 Ancient Trees production. Xi Niu Tang is considered the undisputed king of the Pasha region for good reason. Many connoisseurs even feel that the best tea from this area frequently outperforms other top villages in the broader Menghai region (think GuangBie, Ba Ka Nan, etc.). 

Once again we commissioned Brother Sha and his team to manage the end-to-end picking and processing of this material. Lower competition this year allowed us to secure a remarkably good mixed gushu picking, at a price less prohibitive than in past years. Compared to our selected-trees picking of 2022, this mixed-picking gushu pressing has a more direct, intense personality, while still showcasing that classic mineral-wildflower pollen-perfumey Xi Niu Tang character.

A very textbook, impactful Pasha, this is a cake that can be enjoyed today for its intensity and richness, while holding immense power to be aged beautifully for the longest time.

TASTING NOTES

Initial tasting reveals a tea that is more intense and concentrated than our '22 pressing, giving up slightly in smoothness of body. Early notes of mineral-laced wildflower tang, fresh baled hay and an intense fragrance of fresh-cut herbs baked in the alpine sun. Later steeps build into a thicker body with sweetness that smooths out considerably. Rich tannins linger on the palate for ages, occasionally releasing echoed bursts of floral perfume long after the swallow, portending unparalleled aging potential.

The qi from Xi Niu Tang tea is always worth looking forward to -- this one is stunning in its power, centering in the abdomen and chest, rising with energy through the spine and nape.

TERROIR

Pasha sits centrally in the greater Menghai region alongside its neighbors Bulang to the west, Nannuo Shan (east) and Meng Song (north). Tea from here is often said to exhibit some of the best characteristics of the surrounding areas, but combining them in its own unique style.

Pasha is comprised of 3 villages (New, Old and Middle), with Pasha Middle Village being known for the best gushu tea gardens. The Xi Niu Tang groves in Pasha Middle Village are not a new but have in recent years been highly recognized for producing some of the best tea in the entire region. 

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 rich tannin which gives way quickly to lasting huigan. Bitterness may be hinted at but must not be excessive in high quality productions. 

TECHNICALS