“Western Style! I figured this might tasting a bit less bitter to me if prepared Western style, and just slightly under leafed – and the logic was that if it was less bitter it would then also be...” Read full tasting note
“Searched for the most bitter tea I could find for my father Aspirin medicine bitterness through more than 9 infusions you have to be into bitterness to like this tea” Read full tasting note
“This one was my personal favorite of the Bitterleaf Teas’ Lao Man Es. It is bitter like kale cabbage, but has a wonderful floral aftertaste and essence of stone fruit. It is likely too bitter for...” Read full tasting note
“I’ve been an advocate of bitter sheng ever since trying Hai Lang Hao’s 2016 Lao Man’e. Ever since I’ve been on the hunt for a Lao Man’e that could deliver most of the things I love about that tea,...” Read full tasting note
Despite the name, this Lao Man E raw puer is actually made from what’s considered “sweet” varietal arbour material. Compared to a gentler Yiwu, a fragrant Jingmai or a sweet Lincang, this Bulang region tea has a prominent “kuwei”, or bitter flavour up front. However, a pleasant sweetness and excellent huigan quickly follow and linger in the mouth and throat.
The village of Lao Man E is located not too far down the road from Laobanzhang, which tends to see it often passed off as genuine Laobanzhang due to an overlapping flavour profile and character – at a fraction of the price, of course.
This tea is one of our favourite finds of 2018, as it represents a slight departure from some of our usual finds. If you are new to puer and/or easily scared off by bitterness in tea, then we advise picking up a tea from a more welcoming region, like Yiwu. If you’re looking for a tea that’s highly enjoyable with a bit of bite, then look no further.
Alternatively, our Lao Man E huangpian is another good option for those who want to dial the bitterness back slightly, yet still want the Lao Man E experience.
Want to bring on the bitter? Then our Xtra Bitter End is for you. Made from “bitter varietal” ancient tree material, experience the tea equivalent of getting punched in the mouth (hurts so good).
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