Lao Banzhang

Classification and Origin

Category: premium single-mountain (village, míngzhài) sheng pu-erh.

Yunnan large-leaf assamica, Camellia sinensis var. assamica.

«Lao Banzhang» is not a separate varietal standard — it is a village (míngzhài) designation of origin, and its authenticity is determined by the fact of harvest in a specific village, not by a separate GOST number.

Origin: Lao Banzhang village, Bulang Mountain range (布朗山), Menghai County (勐海), Xishuangbanna (西双版纳), southern Yunnan, near the border with Myanmar.

Type: sheng pu-erh (生普, «raw» pu-erh).

Botany and Raw Material

benchmark Lao Banzhang is **古树 (gǔshù)**, tea from old trees. This refers to the large-leaf variety of Yunnan assamica (Camellia sinensis var. assamica).

tall-stemmed trees in old gardens, not trimmed bush plantations.

the age of the trees and their root system, reaching deep soil horizons, is one of the reasons for that very «fullness» and strength of the infusion.

Picking: hand-picked in old gardens; volumes are limited by the nature of the village itself — the number of genuine old-growth trees is finite, which creates chronic scarcity and a high price.

Chemical Composition

high concentration, determined by the terroir (altitude, temperature swings, poor drained soils) and old-growth raw material; gives density to the infusion and a long aftertaste.

Polyphenols: the high content of polyphenols and extractive substances in the raw material is the basis for the potential of long-term storage and multi-year maturation.

Brewing

soft, boiling water around 95 – 100 °C — old-growth raw material withstands high temperatures.

concentrated leaf amount relative to the vessel's volume.

rinse the leaf and do quick first infusions, then gradually extend the steeping time. Quality Lao Banzhang withstands many infusions without «falling apart» into emptiness: bitterness subsides, sweetness and honey aroma persist for a long time.

Teaware: infusion (gōngfū) in a gaiwan or Yixing teapot.