2026 Yunnan Sourcing "Lao Man'e Old Tree" Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

This is purely Lao Man'e village ripe pu-erh tea harvested from mature old plantation tea trees in Spring 2025 and wet piled during 2025. The tea was then pressed into 357 gram cakes for our 2026 release, with each cake packaged in its own matching gift box.

Lao Man'e village is located in the Bu Lang mountain range of Menghai County, not far from Lao Ban Zhang and also fairly near Jie Liang village. Lao Man'e tea is famous for its strength, bitterness, mouthfeel, and cha qi. In many ways it occupies a middle ground between the more extreme bitterness of Jie Liang tea and the bitterness-with-fast-returning-sweetness that Lao Ban Zhang is so famous for. Even when processed as ripe pu-erh, Lao Man'e material retains a powerful, unmistakable village character.

This is the most potent single-estate ripe tea we have ever pressed. It is quite bitter by ripe pu-erh standards, but also incredibly complex tasting, with a dense, long-lasting mouthfeel and very strong cha qi. This is not a soft, easygoing ripe meant for casual drinking. Rather, it is a deeply characterful and powerful ripe tea for those who appreciate strength, bitterness, texture, and endurance in the cup.

The brewed tea is thick, dark, and rich, with a pronounced bittersweet profile that immediately sets it apart from sweeter and milder ripe teas. The bitterness evokes dark chocolate and medicinal herbs, but this is supported by deep sweetness, a heavy mouth-coating texture, and a finish that lingers for a very long time in the mouth and throat. With successive infusions the tea opens into a more layered experience, revealing earth, wood, bitter cacao, mineral depth, and a slowly emerging sweetness that returns after swallowing. The cha qi is very strong and penetrating, making this a tea that is best appreciated when you have the time and attention to really sit with it.

If you are looking for a powerful village-specific ripe pu-erh with real structure and unmistakable Bu Lang character, this tea is highly recommended. It has the strength to drink now and the substance to continue improving with further age.

Brewing guide

Gongfu (recommended)

• 6–7 grams per 100 ml
• 100 °C
• Two quick rinses recommended, especially in 2026
• Start with 8–10 second infusions and lengthen gradually
• Expect 8–10 infusions with strong, even character

Western

• 4–5 grams per 300 ml
• 100 °C for 3–4 minutes
• Re-steep 2–3 times

Thermos style

• 1–1.5 grams per 100 ml
• Use boiling water and steep for 30-60 minutes

In Summary

• Name: 2026 Yunnan Sourcing "Lao Man'e Old Tree" Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake
• Region: Lao Man'e Village in the Bulang Mountains (Menghai, Yunnan)
• Harvest year: 2025
• Wet pile: late 2025
• Pressing year: 2026
• Net weight: 357 grams per cake
• Packaging: matching gift box included
• Production Quantity: 280 cakes
• Gift Box and Wrapper Packaging: Design by Marcello Crispino
  

Each cake comes in a free matching gift box that features the full uncropped illustration by the artist. The matching gift box is not available for purchase separately. NOTE: If the gift box arrives with creases or cosmetic blemishes we cannot provide a free replacement.

This tea has been tested in a certified laboratory for 404 pesticides, and is within the EU MRL limits set for those 404 pesticide residues. For a full list of the 404 pesticides we tested for and more information about MRL testing and the EU Food and Safety commission click on this link