{"title":"map-lao-man-e","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"autumn-2019-lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2019 Lao Man E","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAncient Tea Gardens, sweet varietal. Lao Man E village, Bulang Shan\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMid-October 2019\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-processed by Ai Xiang\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvailable in 357g pu-erh tea cakes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur first release of a Lao Man E tea on Farmerleaf. Despite its low altitude of 1200m, this village produces one of the punchiest tea in Yunnan. It is known for its infamous bitterness, but this is misleading hype. There are two varietals of ancient trees identified by the farmers in Lao Man E: bitter tea and sweet tea. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This cake is made of sweet tea, which doesn't mean it's as smooth as an Yiwu cake. You'll get fairly strong bitterness, especially considering it's autumn tea, but it will vanish within seconds. With bitter tea, you'd carry this bitterness in your mouth for half a day, but with sweet tea, the bitterness is like a fighter jet passing overhead: as soon as you perceive it, it's already far away. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe could only get 5kg of this one because we visited at the very end of autumn, during when we could expect the best quality. The tea was made by Ai Xiang, who has a nice processing unit on the first floor of his house. Tea processing is very professional in the village due to the high demand of this tea by the factories in Menghai, this is where you get the really good stuff in the region, along with Lao Banzhang. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat really makes me happy with Lao Man E is the osmium-heavy sweetness. It takes a few cups to be felt but it won't leave you until you give up on the tea. Heavy Huigan, medium-strong bitterness, extremely long-brewing. You won't be disappointed with this one.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake (12.6oz)","offer_id":31206919667777,"sku":"19年 秋 老慢峨 357克","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample (0.7oz)","offer_id":31206919700545,"sku":"19年 秋 老慢峨 20克","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/MG_2355.jpg?v=1574945983"},{"product_id":"lao-man-e-sweet-gushu","title":"Spring 2021 Lao Man E sweet gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2021 April harvest\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeavy sweetness, medium-high short lived bitterness, powerful Chaqi and extreme endurance.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLao Man E is a prestigious village located South of Menghai. This cake is made of the sweet varietal of the ancient tea gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of \u003cstrong\u003eheavy sweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e, supported by \u003cstrong\u003emoderate to high bitterness\u003c\/strong\u003e. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of \u003cstrong\u003etransparency\u003c\/strong\u003e and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call \u003cstrong\u003equality\u003c\/strong\u003e. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is \u003cstrong\u003eleathery, animal and herbaceous\u003c\/strong\u003e; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a \u003cstrong\u003egood bitterness\u003c\/strong\u003e punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"Lao Man E Gushu tea soup\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEgushuliquorreflection_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":31976659058753,"sku":"21年 春 老慢峨 古树 357g","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":31976659091521,"sku":"21年 春 老慢峨 古树 20g","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring2021laomanegushu.jpg?v=1655896786"},{"product_id":"lao-man-e-shengtai","title":"Spring 2020 Lao Man E Shengtai","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMenthol feel from the first cup, herbaceaous fragrance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium bitterness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHeavy Chaqi and good Huigan after a few cups\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLong brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEcological tea from the best village of Bulang Shan\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is located in Bulang Shan area, in the South-West of Xishuangbanna. It is well known for having the largest ancient tea gardens in the area, it is also the most populated village in Bulang Shan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1990s and on, the villagers established new gardens in unused plots around their villages. Most of them were planted after 2004, when high quality pu-erh tea demand increased exponentially. These gardens are commonly called Shengtai, or \u003cstrong\u003enatural tea gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is because they are managed in the same way as the ancient tea gardens. In Lao Man E, it means only a soil till once a year as well as the occasional pruning to keep the trees at a harvesteable height. No fertilizer or pesticides are applied in the tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore tea gardens, less intensive management\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe higher tea price allowed them to expand the gardens. They wanted to produce more tea but couldn't increase the yield in the ancient tea gardens, they had to keep the same method as before to guarantee quality. Therefore the only way is either increasing the plantation density in the ancient tea gardens, either extending the surfaces if land is available. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second option was the easiest one for them because they had a lot of land available around the village, they used it before to plant upland rice and corn to feed themselves. They didn't need to grow cereals for their own subsistence, from the early 2000's on, they could live solely on the tea money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanting new gardens is a long term investment, you won't get much return before five years, and it's quite some work at the start. What surprised us when visiting Lao Man E is the gardens have relatively \u003cstrong\u003etall and thick tea trees\u003c\/strong\u003e. They don't look like 15-20 year-old trees. The faster growth is probably due to the \u003cstrong\u003elow altitude\u003c\/strong\u003e and good \u003cstrong\u003esoil fertility\u003c\/strong\u003e compared to other tea mountains; the varietal used in Lao Man E, which has\u003cstrong\u003e very big leaves\u003c\/strong\u003e, seems to grow fast as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fame of Lao Man E started with bitter tea. They have two varietals of tea trees growing in the ancient gardens: \u003cstrong\u003esweet and bitter tea\u003c\/strong\u003e. Interestingly, the sweet tea is more in demand than the bitter tea. When they established the Shengtai gardens, they decided to plant a \u003cstrong\u003emix\u003c\/strong\u003e of the sweet and the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYoung gardens + great soil = ???\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.farmer-leaf.com\/collections\/yunnan-pu-erh-tea\/products\/lao-man-e-sweet-gushu\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Lao man e gushu \" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eGushu sweet tea\u003c\/a\u003e version, this one has a more\u003cstrong\u003e long-lasting bitterness\u003c\/strong\u003e, which could be due to the presence of more bitter tea in the blend. Do not forget the impact of tree age on the taste of tea. While often overemphasized on the pu-erh tea market, it does have an impact. Small trees give a tea with less overall power and endurance. you could also find less complexity in the fragrance, a lighter Chaqi and Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, Lao Man E is a \u003cstrong\u003epowerful terroir\u003c\/strong\u003e, and even though the trees are young, they pack more \u003cstrong\u003epunch\u003c\/strong\u003e than other Bulang teas. You could say this tea is a milder version of the Gushu, while retaining the same personality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more talks on Lao Man E, you can check this interview of Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g","offer_id":31981126058049,"sku":"20年 春 老曼峨 生态 357g","price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g","offer_id":31981126090817,"sku":"20年 春 老曼峨 生态 20g","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEShengtaicake.jpg?v=1591716509"},{"product_id":"lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2020 Lao Man E","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAutumn 2020 raw Pu-erh tea, Ancient tea gardens small and big trees\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMixed bitter and sweet varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModerate bitterness and astringency, interesting fragrance and robust sweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is the most prestigious village of the Bulang Mountain range, in the South-West of Menghai.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e localization\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_1024x1024.jpg?v=1606403434\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe autumn Lao Man E we offered last year sold out very quickly and was enjoyed by our customers. The producer, Ai Xiang Nan, delivers again! We visited him last Spring and shot an interview:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are two varietals of gushu in Lao Man E, a bitter one and a sweet one. In Spring, the tea makers will pick and process the varietals separately. In autumn, they mix them together. Autumn tea is less bitter than Spring, which can be a good news when you're refering to Lao Man E's bitter tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe autumn factor and the mixing with sweet varietal give this cake a moderate bitterness, which changes into sweetness in a couple of seconds. It is not the most short-lived one that you could get in Jingmai or Naka, but you won't have time to wince before it's gone into sweet stuff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a tea made for endurance, you need to give it an hour to get the full experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e pu-erh tea cake\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_1024x1024.jpg?v=1606403474\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":37667162620091,"sku":"20年 秋 老曼峨 357克","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":37667162652859,"sku":"20年 秋 老曼峨 20克","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/laomane1.jpg?v=1606403506"},{"product_id":"lao-man-e-shengtai-1","title":"Spring 2021 Lao Man E shengtai","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2021, first flush\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium-high bitterness, light body, strong Huigan and Chaqi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eEcological tea from the best village of Bulang Shan\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is located in Bulang Shan area, in the South-West of Xishuangbanna. It is well known for having the largest ancient tea gardens in the area, it is also the most populated village in Bulang Shan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"float: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1990s and on, the villagers established new gardens in unused plots around their villages. Most of them were planted after 2004, when high quality pu-erh tea demand increased exponentially. These gardens are commonly called Shengtai, or natural tea gardens. This is because they are managed in the same way as the ancient tea gardens. In Lao Man E, it means only a soil till once a year as well as the occasional pruning to keep the trees at a harvesteable height. No fertilizer or pesticides are applied in the tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore tea gardens, less intensive management\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe higher tea price allowed them to expand the gardens. They wanted to produce more tea but couldn't increase the yield in the ancient tea gardens, they had to keep the same method as before to guarantee quality. Therefore the only way is either increasing the plantation density in the ancient tea gardens, either extending the surfaces if land is available. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second option was the easiest one for them because they had a lot of land available around the village, they used it before to plant upland rice and corn to feed themselves. They didn't need to grow cereals for their own subsistence, from the early 2000's on, they could live solely on the tea money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanting new gardens is a long term investment, you won't get much return before five years, and it's quite some work at the start. What surprised us when visiting Lao Man E is the gardens have relatively tall and thick tea trees. They don't look like 15-20 year-old trees. The faster growth is probably due to the low altitude and good soil fertility compared to other tea mountains; the varietal used in Lao Man E, which has very big leaves, seems to grow fast as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fame of Lao Man E started with bitter tea. They have two varietals of tea trees growing in the ancient gardens: sweet and bitter tea. Interestingly, the sweet tea is more in demand than the bitter tea. When they established the Shengtai gardens, they decided to plant a mix of the sweet and the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYoung gardens + great soil = ???\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the \u003ca title=\"Lao man e gushu\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmer-leaf.com\/collections\/yunnan-pu-erh-tea\/products\/lao-man-e-sweet-gushu\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGushu sweet tea\u003c\/a\u003e version, this one has a more long-lasting bitterness, which could be due to the presence of more bitter tea in the blend. Do not forget the impact of tree age on the taste of tea. While often overemphasized on the pu-erh tea market, it does have an impact. Small trees give a tea with less overall power and endurance. you could also find less complexity in the fragrance, a lighter Chaqi and Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, Lao Man E is a powerful terroir, and even though the trees are young, they pack more punch than other Bulang teas. You could say this tea is a milder version of the Gushu, while retaining the same personality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more talks on Lao Man E, you can check this interview of Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":40849545494715,"sku":"21年 春 老曼峨 生态 357g","price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":40849545527483,"sku":"21年 春 老曼峨 生态 20g","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/spring2021laomaneshengtai.jpg?v=1655896790"},{"product_id":"autumn-2021-lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2021 Lao Man E","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAutumn 2021 raw Pu-erh tea, Ancient tea gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMixed bitter and sweet varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModerate bitterness, low astringency, leathery and animal understated fragrance, medium sweetness, good Huigan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLao Man E is the most prestigious village of the Bulang Mountain range, in the South-West of Menghai.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e localization\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_1024x1024.jpg?v=1606403434\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_1024x1024.jpg?v=1606403434\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHere is an interview we made with the producer of this tea, Ai Xiang Nan, in Spring 2020:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThere are two varietals of gushu in Lao Man E, a bitter one and a sweet one. In Spring, the tea makers will pick and process the varietals separately. In autumn, they mix them together. Autumn tea is less bitter than Spring, which can be a good news when you're refering to Lao Man E's bitter tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe autumn factor and the mixing with sweet varietal give this cake a moderate bitterness, which changes into sweetness in a couple of seconds. It is not the most short-lived one that you could get in Jingmai or Naka, but you won't have time to wince before it's gone into sweet stuff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis is a tea made for endurance, you need to give it an hour to get the full experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":42123233427643,"sku":"21年 秋 老曼峨 357克","price":140.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":42123233460411,"sku":"21年 秋 老曼峨 20克","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/autumn2021laomanegushu.jpg?v=1655896702"},{"product_id":"spring-2022-lao-man-e","title":"Spring 2022 Lao Man E sweet gushu","description":"\u003cstrong\u003ePowerful tea, handle with care for an intense session. Moderate bitterness, heavy sweetness, animal fragrance and deep aftertaste. \u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e In Spring 2022, we chose to focus on the best of each terroir and sourced leaves from big trees of the sweet varietal. It is not the infamously bitter lao man e here, you'll have a moderate bitterness which changes into sweetness quickly. That sweetness will build up over the session and, in turn, will change into a cooling effect on the gums and in the back of the throat. This is an intense experience for those who like their tea on the stronger side. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":43048056619195,"sku":"22年 春 老慢峨 古树 357g","price":315.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":43048056651963,"sku":"22年 春 老慢峨 古树 20g","price":32.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/laomane1_73ba3aa6-2be4-4ef9-8e5c-19a55ba7c4ba.jpg?v=1655374394"},{"product_id":"spring-2012-lao-man-e-shengtai","title":"Spring 2012 Lao Man E Shengtai","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens from Lao Man E village, Bulang Shan, Menghai\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAged in Pu'er City, dry storage, controlled environment\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe bite of a classic Bulang tea with a twist on the fragrance\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cake was carefully aged in Pu'er City, with controlled humidity (not above 70%). The tea was stored in large quantity in the tea shop of my friend, Luo Yong Sheng, who's father has collected teas since the early 2000's. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea was bought directly from the farmer in 2012 and aged in Pu'er city since then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can feel the quality of the material used, it is a mixed picking. In 2012, they had just started converting the conventional tea plantations into 'natural tea gardens'. This tea probably comes from such gardens. They are a mix of the bitter and the sweet varietals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eHere are a few pictures of our visit to the village back in Summer 2012, it has changed a lot since then. The houses are larger, the roads cleaner and the tea trees in the natural tea gardens have grown to a taller size.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"william in the ancient tea gardens of lao man e\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSC02430_d36b3a51-edf6-424e-b4ae-661104f993fa_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662551328\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"natural tea gardens of lao man e in 2012\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSC02334_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662551322\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"more natural tea gardens in lao man e\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSC02333_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662551316\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Lao Man E village in 2012\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSC02265_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662551309\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTen years of aging have partially transformed the initial bitterness into something unique. It is not sweetness as you'd find in some young teas. The liquor feels very active on the gums from the first brew. The bitterness ramps up as the session goes and vanishes quickly into that 'aged sweetness'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is a teenager, it has a lot of potential for further aging. The aroma has changed and is the testimony of a very clean storage. No wet-storage taste, only variations of fine woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect if you like strong and long-brewing tea with a bit of age. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF1240_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662550530\" alt=\"lao man e aged puerh tea cake\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF1240_1024x1024.jpg?v=1662550530\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":43324543008955,"sku":"12年 老曼峨 357克","price":155.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":43324543041723,"sku":"12年 老曼峨 20克","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/DSCF1238.jpg?v=1662550358"},{"product_id":"autumn-2022-lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2022 Lao Man E","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens of Lao Man E village, mostly sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect Menghai daily drinker: strong and endurant\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had the pleasure to visit Ai Xiang Nan in Lao Man E after the autumn harvest. He introduced us to his brand new factory. We had a side by side tasting of his latest productions, a rare occurrence in the tea mountains. The quality of his teas has been consistent over the years, they are all expertly processed, with a long cooking time at low temperature. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has a lot of natural tea gardens. The tea trees are only a few decades old, but they grow quite fast thanks to the relatively fertile soil and the natural tendency of the local varietal to grow into massive trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea from the most famous village of Bulang area is as you would expect. It gives a punch, but takes care of wearing white gloves for that. The bitterness is moderate and disappears quickly, the sweetness seizes the mouth after a few cups and will linger for hours. Astringency is moderate, it acts in concert with the sweetness to exhibit a mineral characteristic. Indeed, drinking Menghai tea can feel like sucking on a rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tea that strikes well above its price range. You can use it as a daily drinker if you have the stomach for it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\" alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":43967085707451,"sku":"22年 秋 老曼峨 357克","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":43967085740219,"sku":"22年 秋 老曼峨 20克","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/DSCF5397.jpg?v=1669283958"},{"product_id":"spring-2023-lao-man-e-shengtai","title":"Spring 2023 Lao Man E small trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2023, first flush\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium-high bitterness, light body, strong Huigan and Chaqi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This is a good introduction to Bulang Shan tea. The trees are young but have grown fast thanks to the relatively fertile soil of Lao Man E. This tea packs a good punch for its price, it can be a good daily drinker if you like aggressive teas. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can expect a good amount of bitterness (the trees are a mix of bitter and sweet varietals). The tea will sustain five to ten brews and delivers straightforward jabs to your mouth all along the session.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eEcological tea from the best village of Bulang Shan\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is located in Bulang Shan area, in the South-West of Xishuangbanna. It is well known for having the largest ancient tea gardens in the area, it is also the most populated village in Bulang Shan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"float: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1990s and on, the villagers established new gardens in unused plots around their villages. Most of them were planted after 2004, when high quality pu-erh tea demand increased exponentially. These gardens are commonly called Shengtai, or natural tea gardens. This is because they are managed in the same way as the ancient tea gardens. In Lao Man E, it means only a soil till once a year as well as the occasional pruning to keep the trees at a harvesteable height. No fertilizer or pesticides are applied in the tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore tea gardens, less intensive management\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe higher tea price allowed them to expand the gardens. They wanted to produce more tea but couldn't increase the yield in the ancient tea gardens, they had to keep the same method as before to guarantee quality. Therefore the only way is either increasing the plantation density in the ancient tea gardens, either extending the surfaces if land is available. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second option was the easiest one for them because they had a lot of land available around the village, they used it before to plant upland rice and corn to feed themselves. They didn't need to grow cereals for their own subsistence, from the early 2000's on, they could live solely on the tea money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanting new gardens is a long term investment, you won't get much return before five years, and it's quite some work at the start. What surprised us when visiting Lao Man E is the gardens have relatively tall and thick tea trees. They don't look like 15-20 year-old trees. The faster growth is probably due to the low altitude and good soil fertility compared to other tea mountains; the varietal used in Lao Man E, which has very big leaves, seems to grow fast as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fame of Lao Man E started with bitter tea. They have two varietals of tea trees growing in the ancient gardens: sweet and bitter tea. Interestingly, the sweet tea is more in demand than the bitter tea. When they established the Shengtai gardens, they decided to plant a mix of the sweet and the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYoung gardens + great soil = ???\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the Gushu sweet tea version, this one has a more long-lasting bitterness, which could be due to the presence of more bitter tea in the blend. Do not forget the impact of tree age on the taste of tea. While often overemphasized on the pu-erh tea market, it does have an impact. Small trees give a tea with less overall power and endurance. you could also find less complexity in the fragrance, a lighter Chaqi and Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, Lao Man E is a powerful terroir, and even though the trees are young, they pack more punch than other Bulang teas. You could say this tea is a milder version of the Gushu, while retaining the same personality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more talks on Lao Man E, you can check this interview of Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":44685344145595,"sku":"23年 春 老曼峨小树 357克","price":107.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":44685344178363,"sku":"23年 春 老曼峨小树 20克","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF2668.jpg?v=1689175045"},{"product_id":"spring-2023-lao-man-e-big-trees","title":"Spring 2023 Lao Man E big trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarly Spring 2023, big trees of Lao Man E, sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c!-- split --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAggressive profile, strong sweetness, medium bitterness and astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlenty of Huigan and Chaqi in a classic Lao Man E fashion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2023 vintage comes out particularly aggressive. the bitterness and astringency is up a notch compared to last year. Powerful upfront sweetness, characteristic of Southern Menghai, supported by a medium level of bitterness and astringency, this is the sweet varietal, hence the bitterness is short-lived. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood tea for a long session, it's a waste if you don't brew it ten times. The Huigan will build up as the session goes, the bitterness is high at the start of the session and decreases steadily, while the brew keeps giving sweetness for a while.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\" alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":44685345587387,"sku":"23年 春 老曼峨古树 357克","price":330.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":44685345620155,"sku":"23年 春 老曼峨古树 20克","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF3327.jpg?v=1689175425"},{"product_id":"spring-2014-lao-man-e-bitter-gushu","title":"Spring 2014 Lao Man E Bitter Gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient tea gardens from Lao Man E village, Bulang Shan, Menghai\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMajority of bitter varietal, aged in the village for nine years\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrong bitterness, powerful experience\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe visited Ai Xiang Nan over the Summer. We've sourced his tea from Lao Man E since 2019. In his brand new tasting room, we tried samples from his past productions. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are two varietals growing in this village: the bitter one and the sweet one. These two varietals are present in every garden surrounding the village, but each of the gardens have a different ratio. We like Lao Man E tea with a strong but quickly vanishing bitterness. The bitter tea varietal features a lingering bitterness and seemingly potent 'digestive effects'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo far, we've avoided it in our selection. That was until this morning, in Ai Xiang Nan's tasting room. We were sleep deprived and slightly hungover, yet, nothing better than a selection of Lao Man E tea to awake you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was interested in trying better examples of the bitter tea varietal. Ai Xiang Nan pulled up this cake from a shelf. He pressed it in 2019, using a 2014 maocha. It was made from a garden with a high amount of the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was surprised by how well the tea had aged, no off-smell, slightly wet storage (the village is at the same altitude as Pu'er City, but closely surrounded by mountains).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea starts very gentle. Bulang Shan tea likes a marathon session, you won't get the whole story in five brews. The bitterness ramps up steadily and reaches a plateau that seems never-ending. During this quick session, we were browsing tea, we didn't push it to its limits. He offered me a cake and I had a few sessions back in my tea shop. It is one of the most powerful tea we have on offer. The aging has likely toned the bitterness down, you can feel the result of aging in the intense sweetness that follows the initial slap on the tongue. The bitterness is straightforward and consistent, supportive until the end of the session. Thick mouthfeel, deep Huigan and a good buzz make the experience complete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":44778982572219,"sku":"14年 老曼峨 357克","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":44778982604987,"sku":"14年 老曼峨 20克","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF49121.jpg?v=1695704686"},{"product_id":"autumn-2023-lao-man-e-small-trees","title":"Autumn 2023 Lao Man E small trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens from Lao Man E village, Bulang Shan, Menghai\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood minerality, punchy and entertaining\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- split --\u003eWe couldn't finish the 2023 year without releasing an Autumn Lao Man E, this is one of our favorite village for good Pu-erh tea. Processed by Ai Xiang Nan, as usual, his production doesn't disappoint. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea feels fresh. Medium bitterness and astringency give good dynamics to this tea. It feels lively and highly mineral. It bites the mouth for a few seconds, and flows downs easily as you swallow it. This makes it an energizing daily drinker that will keep you fueled for a dozen infusions. It's also a safe bet for aging. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is the most prestigious village in Bulang Shan area, to learn more about it, you can watch a replay of this live-stream:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pF9GAWfECJ0?si=q2MTWlYp5lTvxWBi\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":44916157350075,"sku":"23年 秋 老曼峨小树 357克","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":44916157382843,"sku":"23年 秋 老曼峨小树 20克","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF6322.jpg?v=1703575982"},{"product_id":"spring-2024-lao-man-e-gushu","title":"Spring 2024 Lao Man E Gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2024, big trees of Lao Man E, sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c!-- split --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBalanced profile, strong sweetness, medium bitterness, low astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlenty of Huigan and Chaqi in a classic Lao Man E fashion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2024 version of this cake is less aggressive but more powerful than last year's edition. This is the favorite tea of our collection, because nothing beats a good Lao Man E tea. The stereotype is that Lao Man E is the most bitter tea ever, this is not the case for this one. Lao Man E is more complex than that. What makes it so good is the activity you get on the gums, the high viscosity of the liquor, and, of course, the short-lived bitterness drenched in honey-like sweetness. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood tea for a long session, it's a waste if you don't brew it ten times. The Huigan will build up as the session goes, the bitterness is high at the start of the session and decreases steadily, while the brew keeps giving sweetness for a while.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\" alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":46201397969083,"sku":"24年 春 老曼峨古树 357克","price":300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":46201398001851,"sku":"24年 春 老曼峨古树 20克","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF0337.jpg?v=1717637170"},{"product_id":"spring-2024-lao-man-e-small-trees","title":"Spring 2024 Lao Man E small trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens, bitter and sweet varietals mixed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe most bitter tea in our collection\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLast year, we sourced older tree material from other areas of Bulang Shan, but it turns out the younger natural gardens of Lao Man E beat them all, there is something magic with the soil there. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea is bitter, expect to take a punch in the mouth. Fortunately, the bitterness is supported by other characteristics: heavy sweetness, medium viscosity, some astringency, and that leather like Lao Man E fragrance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA great daily drinker for the lumberjacks and truck drivers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eEcological tea from the best village of Bulang Shan\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is located in Bulang Shan area, in the South-West of Xishuangbanna. It is well known for having the largest ancient tea gardens in the area, it is also the most populated village in Bulang Shan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"float: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1990s and on, the villagers established new gardens in unused plots around their villages. Most of them were planted after 2004, when high quality pu-erh tea demand increased exponentially. These gardens are commonly called Shengtai, or natural tea gardens. This is because they are managed in the same way as the ancient tea gardens. In Lao Man E, it means only a soil till once a year as well as the occasional pruning to keep the trees at a harvesteable height. No fertilizer or pesticides are applied in the tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore tea gardens, less intensive management\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe higher tea price allowed them to expand the gardens. They wanted to produce more tea but couldn't increase the yield in the ancient tea gardens, they had to keep the same method as before to guarantee quality. Therefore the only way is either increasing the plantation density in the ancient tea gardens, either extending the surfaces if land is available. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second option was the easiest one for them because they had a lot of land available around the village, they used it before to plant upland rice and corn to feed themselves. They didn't need to grow cereals for their own subsistence, from the early 2000's on, they could live solely on the tea money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanting new gardens is a long term investment, you won't get much return before five years, and it's quite some work at the start. What surprised us when visiting Lao Man E is the gardens have relatively tall and thick tea trees. They don't look like 15-20 year-old trees. The faster growth is probably due to the low altitude and good soil fertility compared to other tea mountains; the varietal used in Lao Man E, which has very big leaves, seems to grow fast as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fame of Lao Man E started with bitter tea. They have two varietals of tea trees growing in the ancient gardens: sweet and bitter tea. Interestingly, the sweet tea is more in demand than the bitter tea. When they established the Shengtai gardens, they decided to plant a mix of the sweet and the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYoung gardens + great soil = ???\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the Gushu sweet tea version, this one has a more long-lasting bitterness, which could be due to the presence of more bitter tea in the blend. Do not forget the impact of tree age on the taste of tea. While often overemphasized on the pu-erh tea market, it does have an impact. Small trees give a tea with less overall power and endurance. you could also find less complexity in the fragrance, a lighter Chaqi and Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, Lao Man E is a powerful terroir, and even though the trees are young, they pack more punch than other Bulang teas. You could say this tea is a milder version of the Gushu, while retaining the same personality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more talks on Lao Man E, you can check this interview of Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":46202369867963,"sku":"24年 春 老曼峨小树 357克","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":46202369900731,"sku":"24年 春 老曼峨小树 20克","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF0278.jpg?v=1717637311"},{"product_id":"autumn-2024-lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2024 Lao Man E","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens of Lao Man E village, mostly sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect Menghai daily drinker: strong and endurant\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2024 version of the autumn lao man e is as good as the one we released in 2022, it features a moderate bitterness and excellent endurance for an autumn tea. It can be a good entry to Lao Man E tea, or simply a good daily drinker. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has a lot of natural tea gardens. The tea trees are only a few decades old, but they grow quite fast thanks to the relatively fertile soil and the natural tendency of the local varietal to grow into massive trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea from the most famous village of Bulang area is as you would expect. It gives a punch, but takes care of wearing white gloves for that. The bitterness is moderate and disappears quickly, the sweetness seizes the mouth after a few cups and will linger for hours. Astringency is moderate, it acts in concert with the sweetness to exhibit a mineral characteristic. Indeed, drinking Menghai tea can feel like sucking on a rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tea that strikes well above its price range. You can use it as a daily drinker if you have the stomach for it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"1024x1024\" width=\"1024x1024\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"315\" width=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":46455767072955,"sku":"22年 秋 老曼峨 357克","price":48.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":46455767105723,"sku":"22年 秋 老曼峨 20克","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF5421.jpg?v=1739516055"},{"product_id":"spring-2025-lao-man-e-gushu","title":"Spring 2025 Lao Man E Gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2025, big trees of Lao Man E, sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c!-- split --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBalanced profile, strong sweetness, medium bitterness, low astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlenty of Huigan and Chaqi in a classic Lao Man E fashion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like every year, this is my favorite tea. Unlike stereotypical Lao Man E tea, this one has a moderate and short-lived bitterness. This tea is intense, it has a typical menghai character but a relatively low astringency. The fragrance is muted, slightly smokey, and supports the core of this tea: the strong mouthfeel, not sweet nor aggressive, just powerful. Drinking it feels like an ascension to heaven, give it one hour and you will become Zarathustra. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"1024x1024\" width=\"1024x1024\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"315\" width=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":46692971544763,"sku":"25年 春 老曼峨古树 357克","price":230.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":46692971577531,"sku":"25年 春 老曼峨古树 20克","price":23.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/DSCF6539.jpg?v=1749452695"},{"product_id":"autumn-2025-lao-man-e","title":"Autumn 2025 Lao Man E Gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLao Man E village, Menghai area\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBig trees from the ancient tea gardens surrounding the village, sweet varietal. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHandmade by Ai Xiang Nan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, we decided to source a 'gushu' version of Lao Man E. For this harvest, Ai Xiang Nan selected trees from the sweet varietal only. As a result, you still get a punch in the mouth, but the pain will fade away within seconds. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is my favorite village, and this tea delivers. It is powerful but not overly aggressive, expansive and sweet. Astringency is moderate, bitterness vanishes quickly. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is often known for its bitterness, but this is a wrong image. There is bitter tea in all South-Western Xishuangbanna and even beyond the Chinese border, in Myanmar. What makes the reputation of Lao Man E is the overall power it consistently delivers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":47162969718971,"sku":null,"price":76.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":47162969751739,"sku":null,"price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/1_b60cdb67-518a-4a51-956d-9837103e99be.jpg?v=1762447269"},{"product_id":"autumn-2025-lao-man-e-shengtai","title":"Autumn 2025 Lao Man E  Shengtai","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens of Lao Man E village, mostly sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerfect Menghai daily drinker: moderate bitterness, some huigan and minerality, good fragrance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is one of our favorite villages and we're happy to offer you this autumn 'shengtai' version, less aggressive and cheaper than the 'gushu' cake. This one might even be more pleasant to drink now, it has a moderate bitterness and is not too astringent. It feels quite balanced, which is unusual for tea from this area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI could recommend it to beginners because it has a bit of that Northern Menghai minerality, a good autumnal fragrance and a decent Huigan. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg height=\"1024x1024\" width=\"1024x1024\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"315\" width=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":47322756120763,"sku":"25年 秋 老曼峨 357克","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":47322756153531,"sku":"25年 秋 老曼峨 20克","price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/1_6673bb01-d886-41d9-b2e4-b5cbdc304260.jpg?v=1766952476"},{"product_id":"spring-2026-lao-man-e-bitter-tea","title":"Spring 2026 Lao Man E Bitter Tea","description":"\u003cp\u003eSpring 2026, single bitter wild tree from Lao Man E\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly 1 kg available\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen drinking tea becomes an extreme sport...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDRINK AT YOUR OWN RISK!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was sent to us by Ai Xiang Nan, he supervised the harvest of several big trees, and this one had to be set aside. This is one of the most bitter tea we've ever tried.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bitterness increases steadily on the middle of the tongue and persists for a long time. It is of a nasty type and you will get your money's worth of punishment with this one. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe only sell it by samples for a good reason, we don't want you to die from overexposure, we have a business to run and need to keep our customers long time. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBesides the bitterness, you will still recognize good qualities to this tea, it does have a lot of power and thickness. Anything you taste after that will be very sweet.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"20g pouch","offer_id":47781725077691,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/1_b13d6136-e7bb-46a3-bcc2-8ac2a180b9d9.jpg?v=1777984976"},{"product_id":"spring-2026-lao-man-e-single-trees","title":"Spring 2026 Lao Man E Single Trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2026, Big trees handpicked by Ai Xiang Nan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAmong the best sweet tea Lao Man E can offer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEight trees mixed together, excellent power and balance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the first time Ai Xiang Nan is offering us a single trees picking, the best from his ancient tea gardens. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile I thought the Lao Man E gushu cake was always the best tea in our collection, that was until we received this higher \"grade\", made only from the biggest sweet varietal trees growing around Lao Man E.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea has a moderate and quickly vanishing bitterness. It will give you a deep Huigan from the first brew. The fragrance is refined, carrying that typical animal leathery tone characteristic of the Bulang Shan area. This tea behaves well in the mouth, powerful but not aggressive, with low astringency and good activity on the gums. You can spend a whole afternoon sipping on this tea and reaching new planes of existence. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"70g pouch","offer_id":47781786812603,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/2_43e78ff7-2a01-456d-b974-f25906996206.jpg?v=1777985646"},{"product_id":"spring-2026-lao-man-e-gushu","title":"Spring 2026 Lao Man E Gushu","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2026, big trees of Lao Man E, sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBalanced profile, strong sweetness, medium bitterness, low astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlenty of Huigan and Chaqi in a classic Lao Man E fashion\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-end=\"198\" data-start=\"17\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eleathery fragrance, not smoky\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"49\" data-start=\"46\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe bitterness ramps up steadily\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"84\" data-start=\"81\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eacross the first few infusions\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"117\" data-start=\"114\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ea seducing hint of vanilla creeps up\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"156\" data-start=\"153\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe Qi is invigorating and increases focus\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"427\" data-start=\"200\"\u003e\u003cem\u003esurprisingly not aggressive, the\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"235\" data-start=\"232\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ebitterness vanishes within seconds\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"272\" data-start=\"269\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHuigan coats the throat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"298\" data-start=\"295\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eminerality is revealed as the early\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"336\" data-start=\"333\"\u003e\u003cem\u003epower subsides\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"353\" data-start=\"350\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eit feels like this tea can give out\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"391\" data-start=\"388\"\u003e\u003cem\u003enumerous late-session long steepings\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"471\" data-start=\"429\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHuigan and Chaqi build up over the session\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eLao Man E, a well deserved prestige\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first visited this village in 2012, it was already famous at the time, mainly for the high bitterness of its tea. Throughout the years, Lao Man E has always increased in price and renown, despite the competition of many new contenders in the fame arena.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe village is located South of Menghai, let me show you a map of the area:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\" alt=\"lao man e map\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\" width=\"1024x1024\" height=\"1024x1024\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could think high prices in tea is the result of hype. Yet, ask any tea professional in Menghai, and they will tell you nothing beats Lao Man E in terms of heavy sweetness, supported by moderate to high bitterness. Even large factories invest in Lao Man E material for their high end blend. It's a tea that can sell without mentioning the name, the taste of the tea makes it worth its price. Of course, we do here on Farmerleaf because we chose the path of transparency and exploration of the terroirs. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat makes Lao Man E special?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA tea from the lowlands?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts altitude is very low compared to other famous mountains, only 1200m in the village! Jingmai is at 1600m, Lao Banzhang at 1800m and gardens in Lincang or Ailao Mountain can grow up to 2200m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/products\/LaoManEvillagefromafar_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591700071\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin: 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx 0pxpx; float: none;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe usually associate higher altitude with better quality, and Lao Man E is an interesting counter-example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaybe we should think a minute about what we call quality. In the tea industry at large, it's often related to fragrance. But that's not what you'd think as a Pu-erh tea drinker, right?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe infamous bitterness explained\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E has decent fragrance, it is a very understated kind of fragrance, the opposite of Lincang teas. It won't burst in your nose, but will linger for a long time after drinking, stealthily coming back from your throat. The nature of this Lao Man E fragrance, which could be assimilated to Bulang area as a whole, is leathery, animal and herbaceous; don't expect a festival of flowers here, we're not in Jingmai here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the first cup, you can expect a good bitterness punch from a fine Lao Man E. Good bitterness should not linger for long, it should vanish within seconds, leaving sweetness in its trail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_3_fb258126-08b5-49af-a1f4-97475beff4a9_1024x1024.jpg?v=1655438343\" alt=\"lao man e gushu tea soup\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are \u003cstrong\u003etwo varietals\u003c\/strong\u003e of old-growth tea trees in Lao Man E:\u003cstrong\u003e bitter\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esweet\u003c\/strong\u003e. The bitter varietal has both long-lasting and short-lived bitterness, it is an intense experience that few people actually enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why we selected the sweet varietal, which displays a moderate to high bitterness, but only of a short-lived nature. This varietal is more expensive than the bitter one because it is the most enjoyed and sought-after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother characteristic of Lao Man E is to have a \u003cstrong\u003elow level of astringency\u003c\/strong\u003e in relation to the bitterness. In Chinese, we tend to group the two tastes together in a single word, but Lao Man E is well known for being bitter but not that astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA quiet but unstoppable force\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E will definitely give you a buzz if you're sensitive. We recommend you eat a good meal before drinking that kind of tea. While Jingmai tea tends to give out its power straight away, you need to be more patient with Lao Man E (and all Bulang teas in general).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCup after cup, \u003cstrong\u003esweetness\u003c\/strong\u003e will accumulate on your gums and creep down your throat, you'll get plenty of that menthol effect that we like to call Hui Gan: a sweet and refreshing feel in the throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea is \u003cstrong\u003every long brewing\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can easily get 20 steeps out of a handle of leaves. This is partly due to the size of the leaves, they are among the largest you can find in Xishuangbanna. To give you an idea, we usually cook the leaves for 20 minutes in Jingmai, but in Lao Man E, they need at least 35 minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you're brewing the leaves, the water makes its way through the center of the leaves to dig out that \u003cstrong\u003egood juice\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it can take some time, during which you'll be in heaven.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want even more information about this tea and the recent history of the village, you can watch this interview that we shot with Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":47969094893755,"sku":"26年 春 老曼峨古树 357克","price":230.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":47969094926523,"sku":"26年 春 老曼峨古树 20克","price":23.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/1_3ddf1e7f-883a-425e-87b1-bc67a8410900.jpg?v=1781615810"},{"product_id":"spring-2026-lao-man-e-small-trees","title":"Spring 2026 Lao Man E small trees","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring 2026, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNatural tea gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMostly sweet varietal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-end=\"84\" data-start=\"24\"\u003e\u003cem\u003emedium bitterness, short lived, not a source\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"71\" data-start=\"68\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eof harshness.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"211\" data-start=\"86\"\u003e\u003cem\u003elow astringency, very smooth experience\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-end=\"128\" data-start=\"125\"\u003e\u003cem\u003epowerful Chaqi and Huigan, good endurance\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-is-only-node=\"\" data-end=\"172\" data-start=\"169\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eexcellent for the price and worth aging\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E small trees have become very affordable thanks to the expansive gardens planted by the Bulang. They have an overproduction of very fine and powerful tea, waiting to be enjoyed by avid drinkers. It is one of the best price for values in Menghai area if you like the strong stuff on a daily basis. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you own a truck driving license, you can even grandpa-style it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eEcological tea from the best village of Bulang Shan\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLao Man E is located in Bulang Shan area, in the South-West of Xishuangbanna. It is well known for having the largest ancient tea gardens in the area, it is also the most populated village in Bulang Shan. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg height=\"1024x1024\" width=\"1024x1024\" style=\"float: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"lao man e map\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/lao_man_e_map_1024x1024.jpg?v=1591602204\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1990s and on, the villagers established new gardens in unused plots around their villages. Most of them were planted after 2004, when high quality pu-erh tea demand increased exponentially. These gardens are commonly called Shengtai, or natural tea gardens. This is because they are managed in the same way as the ancient tea gardens. In Lao Man E, it means only a soil till once a year as well as the occasional pruning to keep the trees at a harvesteable height. No fertilizer or pesticides are applied in the tea gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore tea gardens, less intensive management\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe higher tea price allowed them to expand the gardens. They wanted to produce more tea but couldn't increase the yield in the ancient tea gardens, they had to keep the same method as before to guarantee quality. Therefore the only way is either increasing the plantation density in the ancient tea gardens, either extending the surfaces if land is available. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second option was the easiest one for them because they had a lot of land available around the village, they used it before to plant upland rice and corn to feed themselves. They didn't need to grow cereals for their own subsistence, from the early 2000's on, they could live solely on the tea money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlanting new gardens is a long term investment, you won't get much return before five years, and it's quite some work at the start. What surprised us when visiting Lao Man E is the gardens have relatively tall and thick tea trees. They don't look like 15-20 year-old trees. The faster growth is probably due to the low altitude and good soil fertility compared to other tea mountains; the varietal used in Lao Man E, which has very big leaves, seems to grow fast as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fame of Lao Man E started with bitter tea. They have two varietals of tea trees growing in the ancient gardens: sweet and bitter tea. Interestingly, the sweet tea is more in demand than the bitter tea. When they established the Shengtai gardens, they decided to plant a mix of the sweet and the bitter varietal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYoung gardens + great soil = ???\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the Gushu sweet tea version, this one has a more long-lasting bitterness, which could be due to the presence of more bitter tea in the blend. Do not forget the impact of tree age on the taste of tea. While often overemphasized on the pu-erh tea market, it does have an impact. Small trees give a tea with less overall power and endurance. you could also find less complexity in the fragrance, a lighter Chaqi and Huigan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet, Lao Man E is a powerful terroir, and even though the trees are young, they pack more punch than other Bulang teas. You could say this tea is a milder version of the Gushu, while retaining the same personality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more talks on Lao Man E, you can check this interview of Ai Xiang Nan, the producer of this tea:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"315\" width=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DU9CNgGZ8V4\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farmerleaf","offers":[{"title":"357g cake","offer_id":47969116258491,"sku":"26年 春 老曼峨小树 357克","price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"20g sample","offer_id":47969116291259,"sku":"26年 春 老曼峨小树 20克","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1318\/5761\/files\/2_4f84b576-3d62-4958-9172-0d9b9ee95880.jpg?v=1781615953"}],"url":"https:\/\/farmerleaf.com\/collections\/map-lao-man-e.oembed","provider":"Farmerleaf","version":"1.0","type":"link"}