“For tea leaves raw material, one should choose from 'Jingmai', 'Ban Zhang', 'Yiwu', but few can clearly explain what exactly is good about tea from these places or what their specific quality characteristics are.
Every year, new teas on the market labeled as 'Ban Zhang', 'Yiwu', 'Jingmai' constantly emerge, with quantities several times or even over ten times the annual output of these premium tea production areas. So, which are genuine and which are fake?
Below, Xiao Yan will provide an analysis and comparison of the quality characteristics of tea from several famous Pu-erh tea production areas in Yunnan, hoping to offer some reference for the majority of tea friends when selecting and purchasing Pu-erh tea.
As the saying goes: 'Beginners look at the factory, intermediates look at the mountain, experts look at the tea.' However, regardless of level, only by understanding the characteristic tea nature of each tea area in Yunnan can one purchase Pu-erh tea with guaranteed quality that is worth collecting.
Overall Quality Characteristics of Yunnan Tea
Yunnan has a special topography and climate environment: consistency of high latitude with high altitude, and low latitude with low altitude, plus a special geographical location and complex terrain. Its main characteristics are:
Pronounced regional differences, with very significant vertical variation;
Small annual temperature range, large daily temperature range;
Abundant rainfall, distinct dry and rainy seasons, uneven distribution with less rain in the north and more in the south.
Under these conditions, and with differences in some tea varieties and growth forms, the tea quality from various tea mountains has distinctly different characteristics. Under identical objective conditions such as same tea variety, growth form, and production process, Yunnan tea areas exhibit the traits of 'bitter in the north, astringent in the south' and 'soft in the east, strong in the west'.
Mansai
Mansai is located in the central north of Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area. Starting from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Mansai tea mountain entered its most glorious era. Historical records indicate that the annual tea production here reached over ten thousand dan. Between the 13th year of Tongzhi and the 13th year of Guangxu, Mansai suffered two great fires, ruthlessly destroying the once prosperous town. A third fire, accompanied by plague, turned Mansai into a deserted city. Since then, Yiwu, 20 kilometers away from Mansai, rapidly replaced Mansai's position, becoming an important tea mountain among the six great tea mountains. Consequently, among the public, many manufacturers and practitioners categorize teas from both areas under Yiwu.
Quality characteristics: High-aroma, soft liquor. Among the sweet-fragrant tea types, it is the most distinctive. The sensation of aroma on the tongue and mid-to-late upper palate is full; high-quality tea's sweet aftertaste can extend to both cheeks. In recent years, due to over-harvesting and seasonal factors, the liquor body has become thinner.
Yiwu
Yiwu is located in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna.
Quality characteristics: Yiwu tea belongs to the Mansai tea area, with aroma and taste similar to Mansai tea, characterized by high aroma, soft liquor, and low stimulation. For the same reasons as the Mansai area, the liquor body has become thinner in recent years.
Bangdong
Bangdong is located in the central north of Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area. In Dai language, Bangdong is called 'Tang Jing', meaning tea well. Among the six great tea mountains, Bangdong tea mountain has the highest altitude, with almost its entire 360 square kilometers being high mountains. Compared to Yiwu, Bangdong tea mountain has greater altitude variation, with the highest point reaching 1950 meters and the lowest only 565 meters. The Bangdong tea area contains both large-leaf and medium-small-leaf variety tea trees. According to expert review, the quality of the medium-small-leaf varieties in the Bangdong area is not only superior to the local large-leaf varieties but also better than medium-small-leaf varieties from other provinces.
Quality characteristics: Medium-small-leaf varieties are known for their special aroma type. Sweet with a hint of honey on the upper palate, slightly bitter, with a bitter-sweet aftertaste in the mid-to-late part of the back of the tongue.
Gedeng
Gedeng is located in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area. It is situated in the northeast of the six great tea mountains, bordering Kongming Mountain to the east, separated by river from Jinuo Mountain to the south, adjoining Manzhuan tea mountain to the west, and neighboring Bangdong tea mountain to the north. The ancient Gedeng tea mountain includes areas like present-day Xiangming Xinfa Village, Xinjiufang, and Laiyang River. Nowadays, very few old tea trees remain in Gedeng tea mountain, with only a few ancient tea gardens like Chafang, Yanglin, and Hongtupo, totaling less than 500 mu. Given the current actual situation of Gedeng tea mountain, it can be said that it is difficult to produce tea in quantity. Although listed among the six great tea mountains, it exists in name only.
Quality characteristics: Medium-small-leaf varieties are known for their special aroma type. Sweet with a hint of honey on the upper palate, slightly bitter, obvious sweetness on the tip of the tongue, with a slightly bitter and sweet aftertaste in the mid-to-late part, and a somewhat thin liquor body.
Mangzhi
Mangzhi is located in the central north of Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area. Situated southwest of Gedeng Mountain and west of Manzhuan tea mountain, legend says it is where Zhuge Liang buried copper. In ancient times, tea trading here was mainly conducted by merchants from other places. The early prosperity has now disappeared. Within the primary forest, many large, medium, and small-leaf old tea trees are scattered, including some huge tea trees tens of meters tall. Most of the tea produced is collected and transported to other areas or purchased by certain large factories under contract.
Quality characteristics: Medium-small-leaf varieties are known for their special aroma type, similar to Bangdong and Gedeng in aroma and taste. Sweet with a hint of honey on the upper palate, soft liquor, with a strong stimulating sensation on the tongue surface.
Manzhuan
Manzhuan is located in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area. Situated between the four great tea mountains of Bangdong, Gedeng, Mansai, and Yiwu, the ancient Manzhuan tea mountain includes areas like Manlin and Manzhuan. In the past, Manzhuan's annual tea production reached over ten thousand dan, most of which was transported to Yiwu for processing and sale. Although part of the six great tea mountains, it has historically been less emphasized than other tea areas, which is why the tea mountains and ancient tea gardens here have been relatively well preserved. Currently, the tea quality in the Manzhuan area still maintains a good standard.
Quality characteristics: Compared with the other five great tea mountains, the tea leaves have a darker color; the taste on the tongue surface and mid-to-late upper palate is thick, fragrant, smooth, with slight bitterness on the tongue surface. The aroma in taste is deeper, not as high and pronounced as Mansai or Yiwu. In recent years, the performance of tea quality remains at a high level.
Youle
Youle is located in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna, part of the ancient six great tea mountains area, and is the only 'true mountain' not in Mengla County. It was anciently called Youle, now known as Jinuo Mountain. Its area is relatively vast among the ancient six great tea mountains, with ancient tea gardens covering about 10,000 mu. Altitudes range from 575 to 1691 meters, with an annual average temperature of 18-20 degrees Celsius. Annual rainfall is around 1400 mm. Currently, there are still over 2000 mu of remaining ancient tea gardens, with tea tree diameters mostly over 80 cm. Since ancient times, a small amount of bamboo tube tea has been processed locally in Youle tea mountain, and most tea leaves are purchased as loose tea by tea merchants from places like Yiwu and Bangdong.
Quality characteristics: Aroma type and taste are close to Mansai and Yiwu, with high aroma, soft liquor, and relatively high bitterness and astringency on the tongue surface. Due to the younger age of tea trees, the tea nature is more vigorous.
Bada
Bada is located in the west of Menghai County, Xishuangbanna. Bada tea mountain has two major resources: wild tea tree communities and cultivated ancient tea gardens. In 1961, a huge tea tree over 50 meters tall was discovered in Bada Dahei Mountain, known as the 'Bada Tea King', with an age of over 1700 years, becoming a special resource landscape of the Bada tea area.
Quality characteristics: Quantity is small. Taste is similar to the Brown Mountain tea area, with slight bitterness on the back part of the tongue and upper palate, but the average tea quality is relatively thin. There is a special odor in the mid-to-late part of the upper palate.
Brown Mountain
Brown Mountain is located in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, originally the site of the state-owned Menghai Tea Factory's primary processing station. Brown Mountain covers 1016 square kilometers. The Brown people are descendants of the ancient Pu people and can be said to be the ancestors of tea art, as they were the first to cultivate, make, and drink tea. The southern and western parts of Brown Mountain border Myanmar; it is the only Brown ethnic township in the country. The Brown people are one of the earliest indigenous inhabitants of Xishuangbanna and also the source of tea culture. During the state-owned Menghai Tea Factory period, the primary processing station of the Brown Mountain tea area, including Brown Mountain and New/Old Ban Zhang, could collect over 300 tons of fresh leaves per year, producing approximately over 80 tons of sun-dried raw tea.
Quality characteristics: Taste is slightly more stimulating, with slight bitterness on the tongue surface and mid-to-late upper palate; the upper palate has strong aroma and heavy taste, distinguishing it from Ban Zhang tea.
Ban Zhang
Ban Zhang is located in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna. Originally part of the old Brown Mountain primary processing station of the state-owned Menghai Tea Factory, there are distinctions between new and old Ban Zhang tea areas. In 1988, the state-owned Menghai Tea Factory planted 3502 mu of new tea gardens at the current site of New Ban Zhang. There are thousands of mu of cultivated ancient tea gardens, mainly distributed in Old Ban Zhang, Old Man'e, etc.
Quality characteristics: Here, the tea quality characteristics of the Old Ban Zhang tea area are introduced. Among Yunnan's large-leaf varieties, it is similar to Brown Mountain in aroma type and taste, but heavier in substance, with a more stimulating taste and strong bitterness on the tongue surface. The aroma sinks, and sensations on the tip of the tongue and upper palate are not pronounced.
Nannuo
Nannuo Mountain is located in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, originally the site of the state-owned Menghai Tea Factory's primary processing station. In Dai language, Nannuo means bamboo shoot paste. Ancient residents of Nannuo Mountain were mainly Hani people. The clan made bamboo shoot paste from surplus bamboo shoots, which was favored by local leaders who demanded the mountain village offer this paste as tribute annually, later naming this mountain Nannuo Mountain. The Hani people were the first to start planting tea on Nannuo Mountain. Currently, the Nannuo Mountain tea area preserves over 1000 hectares of mixed ancient tea gardens, including ancient tea gardens planted, abandoned, and left behind by the Brown people over 1000 years ago.
Quality characteristics: High aroma, clear sweetness, representing tea with relatively high taste stimulation. Sweet on the mid-section of the upper palate and tip of the tongue. The sweet aftertaste is mainly concentrated in the mid-to-late part of the tongue surface. The liquor is smooth, with relatively high astringency.
Mengsong
Mengsong is located in the south of Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna. There are two Mengsongs in Xishuangbanna, belonging to Menghai County and Jinghong City respectively. Here, we refer to the Mengsong in the south of Jinghong City. It borders Brown Mountain to the east and Myanmar to the south. Mengsong is Dai language, meaning flatland between high mountains. In the Damenglong and Mengsong areas, there are many cultivated wild tea forests, planted by the Brown people in early times. Among wild tea varieties, the local Brown people distinguish between 'sweet tea' and 'bitter tea'. Bitter tea is bitter and does not dissipate, hard to swallow. The tea farmers pick and make tea from the sweet tea category.
Quality characteristics: Soft and sweet liquor, with a special odor on the upper palate and back part of the tongue surface. Obvious bitterness at the root of the tongue surface, hard to dissipate. In recent years, because Yiwu tea prices are high, some in the private sector sell Mengsong tea impersonating Yiwu tea.
Jingmai
Jingmai is located in Lancang County, Simao City. The Jingmai tea area covers Jingmai Village and Mangjing Village in Lancang County, a ten-thousand-mu cultivated ancient tea garden with a thousand-year planting history, currently the largest-scale ancient tea garden discovered in Yunnan Province. Based on research by experts and scholars into the historical roots of the Jingmai tea area, it is believed that this ancient tea garden was first planted by the ancestors of the Brown people as early as 696 AD, dating back over 1200 years. Later, through continuous reclamation and planting over several dynasties, it has now reached a scale of over 10,000 mu. Within the ancient tea forest, there is also a parasitic plant on old tea trees—crab's foot—which has heat-clearing and detoxifying effects.
Quality characteristics: Tea leaves are greenish in color, with shorter strips; known for light fermentation and sweet aroma. The clear sweetness with a hint of floral fragrance in the mid-to-late part of the upper palate is characteristic of tea from here. Good performance of sweet aftertaste in the mid-section of the tongue surface; liquor is smooth, relatively thin.
Mengku
Mengku is located in Shuangjiang County, Lincang City. The Mengku wild ancient tea tree community in Lincang is currently the world's highest altitude and densest large-leaf tea species community discovered. The growth community is located in the mid-upper part of the Great Snow Mountain in Shuangjiang County, covering an area of about 12,000 mu, with altitudes ranging from 2200 to 2750 meters. Mengku wild ancient tea trees belong to the wild-type wild tea, more primitive in evolutionary form than the Pu-erh tea species. This tea species possesses all morphological characteristics and functional components of tea trees (tea polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine, etc.) and can be made into tea for drinking. Due to primitive genes and production in high-altitude cold areas, this tea species is particularly resistant to stress and cold, making it a valuable resource for resistance breeding and molecular biology research.
Quality characteristics: Leaves are thick and broad. Special aroma type, vigorous and uplifting, not as smooth and soft as the six great tea areas' liquor. Full sweet aftertaste on the tongue surface and aroma in the mid-to-late upper palate, with high taste stimulation.
Jinggu
Jinggu is located in Jinggu County, Simao. Situated in the central west of Simao, total area 7550 square kilometers. The terrain is mainly mountainous plateau, with a general slope from north to south, gradually expanding to the east and west wings. Highest altitude 2920 meters, lowest 600 meters. Belongs to a subtropical plateau monsoon climate, with an average annual precipitation of 1253 mm, average annual temperature 20.2 degrees Celsius, and average annual relative humidity 78%. Due to high mountains and deep valleys within the territory and large altitude differences, the climate shows obvious vertical changes, resulting in significant differences in tea taste.