2016 Hai Lang Hao "Lao Man E" Ripe Pu-erh Tea Brick

Entirely Lao Man E old plantation material Lao Man E village in the Bu Lang mountains. Lao Man E is a village in the Bu Lang Mountain range, not far from Lao Ban Zhang and also quite near Jie Liang village. Lao Man E tea is something in between the extreme bitterness of Jie Liang tea and the bitterness with fast and sweet huigan of Lao Ban Zhang tea.

This production has been the obsession of Hai Lang for 3 years. He laboriously purchased and stored enough Lao Man E spring harvested tea (mao cha) from Spring 2013, 2014, and 2015 to make enough for for a decent wo dui batch (wet piled fermentation technique used to make ripe tea). Just under 1500 kilograms in total after 43 days of wet piling!

This is a very strong tasting ripe tea, with a creamy thick taste and feel to it. It's very infusable going many rounds before losing it's powerful taste and aroma. With age it will become more infusable, more complex and more aromatic. The cha qi is all enveloping, but not over-powering. The tea settles into the mouth and body in a very nice way.

Hai Lang's passion for creating something special really comes through in this tea. The price is not cheap, but I have have not tasted a more substantive ripe tea than this one!

1 kilogram per brick

Pressed in May 2016