“The last of Bitterleaf’s 2018 Lao Man’e teas to be reviewed. I went slightly heavier on the leaf at 9.3g in a 130ml gaiwan which equates to 1g/14ml. To offset this somewhat I used only a couple of...” Read full tasting note
For those who wish to dip their toes into the realm of Lao Man E, this tea is an excellent starting point. Made from huang pian material, this tea provides a good introduction to the characteristics this village is known for, without as large a dose of bitterness.
While a pleasant bitter flavour is present, there is also a nice huigan and overall smooth taste. This balanced tea serves as a great daily drinker now, but also makes an affordable and suitable candidate for storage.
Huang pian simply refers to the older leaves on a tea tree that are either picked later in the season or removed from earlier pickings due to their less-than-desirable appearance. The leaves end up a yellow-green colour after roasting, and don’t take to rolling the same as their younger counterparts, remaining flatter and stiffer.
Nonetheless, huang pian material still can make for a very flavourful tea, typically with a smoother, sweeter and easy to accept character at a fraction of the price.
If you end up enjoying this tea, then we strongly recommend working your way up to our Bitter End Lao Man E and possibly even the Xtra Bitter, if you dare…
Company description not available.