People who are familiar with Pu’er Tea tea all know that there is a saying: Ban Zhang as the king and Yi Wu as the queen.Both Banzhang and Yiwu are located in Xishuangbanna, a popular tourist destination. What does that mean? Of course, there is another saying: Yiwu as the King, Jingmai as the Queen. Additionally, there are remarks like “Banzhang as the Left Minister, Mengku as the Right Minister” and “Nannuo in the Front, Bulang at the Back”.
The control of Pu’er tea is very strong, and there are many mountains of tea, so it is not easy to rush out of each mountain, which can not be separated from the strength of the trader.
In my opinion, the saying that “Banzhang as the king and Yiwu as the queen” is because the tea in these two places is very representative and is a metaphor for two different tea feelings.
Banzhang as the King
The title of “King” stems from the strong and direct sensory impact of Banzhang tea, with its core characteristic being “dominance”.
Old Banzhang is known for its “dominance” and strong sensory effect. It has a strong sense of gas, often bitter and astringent or smoke burning. Even some superior old Banzhang trees are like traditional Chinese medicine when first sipped, but sweet as honey afterwards. In recent years, the saying that Banzhang is the king has been gradually recognized.
- Powerful taste: The bitterness is obvious in the mouth, but it melts very quickly, followed by a strong aftertaste and body fluid, full of impact.
- Strong tea presence: After drinking, the body is prone to fever, sweating and other body feelings, tea gas penetration is strong, there is a sense of “overbearing”.
- High infusibility: As a large-leaf tea, it is rich in substances, usually can be brewed more than 20 bubbles, and the taste is still full in the later period.
Yi Wu as the Queen
The positioning of “Hou” corresponds to the warm, delicate and changeable characteristics of Yiwu tea, and its core feature is “softness with hidden strength”.
Yiwu tea is characterized by fragrance, soft water, gentle and elegant honey. Compared with Banzhang, it is more soft and less domineering. It is sweet and smooth, which gives people endless aftertaste. It is its unique tea feeling that is called the queen of music.
Yiwu’s taste is delicate and smooth, sweet and long, with unique charm. With the aging of time, the tea soup becomes more and more full and mellow, with a long aftertaste. The taste is sweet and mellow, delicate and soft.
- Mild flavor: the entrance is sweet, bitter and astringent, the tea soup is full and delicate, as smooth as silk, without strong stimulation.
- Unique aroma: typical of “honey fragrance” and “orchid fragrance”, the aroma is lasting and integrated into the tea soup, with rich layers.
- Great aging potential: the tea polyphenols and amino acids of Yiwu tea have a harmonious proportion. In long-term storage, the taste will be more mellow, and the changes of aroma and taste will be more abundant. It is called the representative of “the older, the more fragrant”.
Banzhang and Yiwu, like two powerful swords used in combination, each lead the way in their own styles. Beyond these two regions, there are other tea-producing mountains for Pu’er tea. Even those less famous ones are worth a try.