天鹅绒 Ember - Ripe 佳品

Withering
Fresh leaves are spread thin to gently reduce moisture. Precision is key to preserving the tea’s complex inner qualities.

Kill-Green
Hand-fired in iron woks to stop oxidation. A tea master’s skill removes grassy notes while locking in natural aroma and enzymes.

Rolling
Leaves are carefully rolled to release inner juices—essential for full flavor. For Bang Zhang's thick leaves, pressure and timing are finely tuned.

Sun-Drying
Under open sunlight, never oven-dried. This signature step gives Pu-erh its "sun-kissed" character and preserves vitality for aging.

Steam-Pressing
Tea is steamed and pressed into cakes. This shapes the tea and creates the ideal micro-environment for slow, natural fermentation.

Aging Potential
Once pressed, Bang Zhang tea evolves over years. Its rich foundation allows flavors to deepen from bold to smooth, gaining value with time.

1. Warm the teaware
Pour hot water into your cup and teapot to preheat them, then discard the water.

2. Rinse the leaves
Place the tea leaves into the pot, fill with hot water, and immediately pour off the water completely. This step awakens the leaves and is not for drinking.

3. Brew the tea

• Refill the pot with hot water.
• For ripe Pu-erh: use just-boiled water.
• For raw Pu-erh (young tea): wait about 30 seconds after boiling before using the water.

4. Steep & serve
Let the tea steep for about 10–15 seconds, then pour all the liquid into your cup to drink. Do not leave the leaves soaking in water.
For subsequent infusions, slightly increase the steeping time each time.

The Craft Behind "Banzhang: King of Pu-erh"

The title “Banzhang King” is earned not only through its exceptional terroir, but also through the masterful application of time-honored craftsmanship to its superior leaves.

Leaf Selection
Only the first spring harvest from ancient tea trees is chosen, with a standard of one bud and two leaves—ensuring a rich, balanced concentration of flavor compounds.

Handcrafted Expertise
From fixing to rolling, every step is performed by hand by experienced masters. For example, to balance Banzhang’s intense cha qi (tea energy), the kill-green process requires advanced skill in alternating tossing and covering techniques.

Preserving Vitality
The entire craft of raw tea centers on maximizing the preservation of the leaf’s natural vitality—the foundation for its remarkable aging potential over decades.

Pure Fermentation
When crafting ripe Pu-erh, Banzhang ancient tree leaves undergo cleaner, smaller-batch fermentation techniques such as above-ground or bamboo-basket fermentation. This higher-cost approach ensures a purer, more refined "Menghai taste," free from any off-notes sometimes found in traditional large-pile fermentation.