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2019 Ancient Trees Lao Ban Zhang Raw Pu Erh Tea Balls

2019 Ancient Trees Lao Ban Zhang Raw Pu Erh Tea Balls

Regular price €12,45 EUR
Regular price €13,80 EUR Sale price €12,45 EUR
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This classic mid-aged Lao Ban Zhang raw pu erh tea opens with a smooth, beautifully sticky texture, carrying a light, refined bitterness that dissolves into a vibrant honey-floral aroma. The true magic lies in the finish: a cooling sensation in the throat, leaving a sweetness that lingers on the palate and at the bottom of your cup.

These Lao Ban Zhang balls are single-portion tea balls made from 2019 first-spring leaves harvested from Yunnan large-leaf ancient tea trees over 200 years old. Each 8-9 gram pearl provides one brewing session, with no weighing or prying required.

Handmade from Leaf to Balls

The leaves were hand-picked, wok-fixed at low temperature, hand-rolled, and sun-dried. After sorting, the maocha was steamed, weighed, shaped by hand in cloth, and air-dried for three to five days. The balls retain natural surface texture, thick strands, and abundant white buds rather than a machine-pressed appearance.

Perfect for traditional gongfu brewing, these raw pu-erh tea balls are exceptionally durable, effortlessly yielding 16 or more rich infusions. Their compact, pre-portioned format also makes them the ultimate travel companion. Whether you're at the office or on the road, they adapt beautifully to Western-style brewing in a favorite mug or teapot.

Origin

  • Year: 2019
  • Season: Spring
  • Origin: Menghai, Yunnan
  • Type: raw pu erh tea
  • Cultivar: Yunnan large-leaf cultivated ancient tea trees (Da Ye Zhong)
  • Shape: Tea balls

How to Steep

Steeping temperature: 100ºC

Western Method: Steep 1 Lao Ban Zhang tea ball with 500ml of water for 1-2 minutes. After the first steep, re-steep for 3 to 4 minutes.

Traditional method: Steep 1 Lao Ban Zhang ball with 100ml of water and steep for 20 seconds. Add 5 seconds for each following steep.

Shipping, Returns & Payment Methods

Delivery time: 1-10 day EU delivery. For estimates per country, please visit the shipping info page at the bottom of our website.

Import taxes?: because we ship from our EU warehouse, you will NOT be charged import taxes upon delivery if you're based in the EU. All taxes are already included in our prices.

Free shipping: available for orders over €59 for The Netherlands/Belgium, €80 for other EU countries (excluding Portugal & Hungary) & UK, and over €100 for other countries.

Returns: orders can be returned for a refund within 30 days. Products should returned in unopened, unused condition.

View full details
  • tea processing: tea leaves picking

    Picking

    Tea leaves are hand-picked in the morning.

  • tea processing: withering and drying tea on bamboo trays

    Withering

    The leaves are spread on bamboo trays to wither.

  • Fixation

    The withered leaves are heated to halt oxidation.

  • tea processing: rolling and shaping tea leaves

    Rolling

    The tea leaves are rolled to release their aroma.

  • tea processing: withering and sun drying tea leaves

    Sun Drying

    Rolled leaves are spread on bamboo mats to sun-dry.

  • tea processing: stone pressing pu erh tea cakes

    Pressing

    The processed tea leaves are steamed & compressed.

  • tea processing: packaging pressed pu erh tea

    Packaging

    The compressed tea is wrapped in paper & packed in boxes.

  • tea processing: storing pu erh tea

    Aging

    The raw pu erh tea is stored for further aging.

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