After the great popularity of mountain-top teas in 2008, many Tea enthusiasts were drawn to them. Mountain-tops like Lao Banzhang, Bingdao, Xigui, Bohe Tang, and Mansong, as leading figures in the Pu'er tea world, attracted countless admirers.
Moreover, with most of the roads to the tea mountains being improved over the past few years, more people can now visit. They come to see the tea trees, experience the local culture, or even participate in the initial processing of fresh leaves…
In this process, buying tea is often involved. Does it sound familiar to you? Or are you planning to do the same?
Here's a friendly reminder for tea enthusiasts: If you don't have a good understanding of the mountain-top you plan to visit, no acquaintances to guide you, no connections with local tea farmers, and limited experience in tasting tea, then buying tea directly from the farmers might not be a wise choice. You could easily end up paying 4000 RMB per kilogram for so-called “ancient tree Spring Tea” from Lao Banzhang and still feel happy about it. (A little research on the actual price of Lao Banzhang ancient tree spring tea will explain why.)
— Important Notes for Those Who Want to Visit the Tea Mountains Alone —
1. You should have some knowledge, if not familiarity, with the mountain-top you intend to visit;
2. Have someone reliable who knows about tea and has connections with local tea farmers;
3. It would be best if you know a local tea farmer whom you trust;
4. You should have some experience in tasting tea;
5. Have a basic understanding of the market prices for mountain-top teas.
This section is specifically for those who are very keen on visiting the tea mountains alone.
Every year, some tea enthusiasts express their wish to join us on our trip to the tea mountains, offering to provide vehicles and drivers for free. However, we always decline these offers. The main reasons are: one, the journey is quite arduous and we worry that the visitors might not be able to handle it; two, we are concerned about the safety of our visitors.
We appreciate the trust that the tea enthusiasts place in us. Once we have perfected our tea mountain tour project, we will be able to take visitors to the tea mountains. Please bear with us a little longer.
“Boss, do you have Bingdao here?”
“Yes, do you want the ones that cost hundreds or thousands?”
“What's the difference?”
“The expensive ones are top-grade.”
“Then I'll take the expensive ones.”
“Brother, try this Lao Banzhang tea I bought on Taobao.”
“This… doesn't seem quite right. How much did you pay for it?”
“Not much, just a couple of hundred. It claims to be from ancient trees.”
“Brother, based on my understanding of Lao Banzhang ancient tree tea, you can't get it for a few hundred.”
“But what kind of tea is this then? It has all sorts of information about Lao Banzhang!”
“In terms of taste, it does have a bit of the style of Bulang Mountain, but beyond that, it's hard to tell.”
…
Situations like these happen quite often. Although the Pu'er tea market environment has been improving, there are still cases of misrepresentation.
Every tea enthusiast wishes to enjoy authentic teas at fair prices!
Nowadays, both offline and online tea shops abound. How can one make the right choices to avoid buying misrepresented mountain-top teas?
— Always Remember —
1. It's impossible to buy something worth thousands of RMB for just a few RMB!
2. Stay away from 9.9 RMB Banzhang or Bingdao teas.
3. Don't blindly follow trends, buying teas from popular mountain-tops without knowing much about them. This is an unwise behavior.
Given that we frequently receive inquiries such as:
“Can you check if this is Mansong ancient tree tea?”
“Is the taste of Lao Banzhang ancient tree tea characterized by strong bitterness and robust Qi?”
“I bought this tea claiming to be Bingdao, and it was quite expensive. Can you taste it for me?”…
Considering the experiences of many tea enthusiasts, here are some methods to help you buy genuine mountain-top teas.
1. Choose a trustworthy Brand;
2. Choose a brand that can access first-hand raw materials. You can verify this through various sources of information, such as consulting friends in the tea industry (this is the most effective and direct method).
3. Put in effort to improve your tea-tasting skills. Familiarize yourself with the characteristics and relevant information about the mountain-top teas you like. For example, if you know that the price of Lao Banzhang ancient tree spring tea ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 RMB per kilogram, you'll realize that it's impossible to buy it for 200 to 300 RMB or even 800 RMB.
4. It's best to have someone guide you when tasting tea. You can follow experienced tea sellers to learn some tasting techniques and improve your ability to evaluate teas. Once your evaluation skills have improved, you can avoid potential pitfalls when making purchases.
5. When visiting tea shops, taste as much as possible and ask questions. Combine this with your own knowledge of mountain-tops to make judgments. You can visit multiple times or go with friends who are knowledgeable about tea. Only purchase after