Top Puerhs 2015-’05, part IV

Top Pu erh teas of 2015

Let’s pick up from where we left off on the discussion of top puerh terriors of the past ten years.  So far, we’ve covered the super renowned like Lao Banzhang, Bingdao, and Wan Gong (aka Bow Village).  You may have noticed that there has been no mention of Yiwu, Lincang or Menghai.  This is because these are the general names where the specific terriors being discussed reside.  Puerhs called Yiwu are usually a blend of materials from various terriors.  The trend is toward greater specificity as these command a higher price on the market than just a general regional name. Continue reading

Top Pu erh Teas of 2015-’05 II

This is a continuation of a previous discussion on top pu erh terriors over the past 10 years.  So far, we’ve covered Lao Banzhang and Naka.  Below, an introduction to Bing Dao and Gua Feng Zhai.

Bing Dao
The Bing Dao ancient tea gardens are of the Yunnan large-leaf variety.  This terropr is quite blessed.  It has come to be called “the true Yunnan large-leaf variety.”  The Bing Dao cultivation area is primarily in Lincang City, Shuang Jiang County, Mengku Prefecture at the lower portion of Da Xue Shan encompassing Bing Dao Village, Gong Nong Village, and Greater Mid Mountain. It is the classic Mengku large-tree selection, with long large leaves that possess a black-green color.  The leaves are fat and soft.  Its fragrance is intense and unique.  It is the premium grade among Mengku tea offerings, a pu erh absolutely worthy of storage.
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