I can’t believe that Wang Yanxin was able to convince the Banzhang Ancient Forest Workshop to part with seven more bricks of this beauty. It is everything I love about sheng pu’er, thick and nutty like Farmer’s Cooperative, yet sparkling with hints of orange and melon. Banzhang Mountain is a magical place.

I have been checking in on the region using google satellite images, and it is still just as remote. The old village has only six houses! The new village has a whopping eleven. You can see the winding footpaths where the villagers walk to wild-harvest this tea.

I will admit it, I bought the last brick of this from Verdant Tea when it was running out, and have felt guilty for not letting it go with so much interest, but how could I? I recently tasted some 15-year tea from the area and it blew my mind. This is already getting there. Luckily I don’t have to feel so guilty anymore with a few more bricks back in stock.

Bonnie

A Coup! Very exciting! I appreciate the continued effort to bring such rare tea to all of us in North America (and beyond also). Sounds delicious.

Anthony Joel Verbrick

This is good news.

Kashyap

what year/vintage is it?

David Duckler

Thanks! This is actually more of the 2006 vintage. ’06 was such a good year for Yunnan. All the ’06 sheng from Wang Yanxin that I try has so much potential and complexity already. This brick was pressed on June 6th, ’06. I know that for us 666 may be a loaded number, but for the villagers of Banzhang, they must have known this would be a good one to press it on a palindrome. Exciting to have it back, even for a short time.

Kashyap

thats awesome…i totally agree…all the sheng pu erh from that region in that year that I’ve had the chance to try were all amazing…so strange…its a rather somber year for me…my mother died from a 2 year fight with ALS in the Sept. of that year and there is no way I had even the inkling of the weather conditions in China….nice to hear you have this..I will have to pick some of this up

Michael Hetrick

Sigh… Sounds like I’ll have to place an order when I get back home! I’m currently drinking the Nansan Village Sheng, which is hitting all of the right notes. Any comparisons between the two?

David Duckler

Hi Michael, sorry for the later reply here. The Nansan and the Artisan Revival are both on the more rich thick end of the spectrum for flavor, but while the Nansan is more on the spiced, herbaceous side of things, the Artisan Revival is nutty, creamy and slightly floral. Definitely worth tasting if you haven’t already gotten around to it.

Michael Hetrick

Thanks! I’ve already taken out about half the ounce that I purchased. It’s great. In fact, I think I should go make some right now…

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Bonnie

A Coup! Very exciting! I appreciate the continued effort to bring such rare tea to all of us in North America (and beyond also). Sounds delicious.

Anthony Joel Verbrick

This is good news.

Kashyap

what year/vintage is it?

David Duckler

Thanks! This is actually more of the 2006 vintage. ’06 was such a good year for Yunnan. All the ’06 sheng from Wang Yanxin that I try has so much potential and complexity already. This brick was pressed on June 6th, ’06. I know that for us 666 may be a loaded number, but for the villagers of Banzhang, they must have known this would be a good one to press it on a palindrome. Exciting to have it back, even for a short time.

Kashyap

thats awesome…i totally agree…all the sheng pu erh from that region in that year that I’ve had the chance to try were all amazing…so strange…its a rather somber year for me…my mother died from a 2 year fight with ALS in the Sept. of that year and there is no way I had even the inkling of the weather conditions in China….nice to hear you have this..I will have to pick some of this up

Michael Hetrick

Sigh… Sounds like I’ll have to place an order when I get back home! I’m currently drinking the Nansan Village Sheng, which is hitting all of the right notes. Any comparisons between the two?

David Duckler

Hi Michael, sorry for the later reply here. The Nansan and the Artisan Revival are both on the more rich thick end of the spectrum for flavor, but while the Nansan is more on the spiced, herbaceous side of things, the Artisan Revival is nutty, creamy and slightly floral. Definitely worth tasting if you haven’t already gotten around to it.

Michael Hetrick

Thanks! I’ve already taken out about half the ounce that I purchased. It’s great. In fact, I think I should go make some right now…

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Bio

I fell in love with tea while doing work on classical Chinese language in China. I loved it so much that I went back for a year to research tea instead! Over a year and several summers in China I have had the chance to train in gongfu tea ceremony, and test the limits of my palate in tasting competitions. I was privileged to spend large chunks of time with farmers on their tea gardens, and was exposed to some of the smallest and most honest operations out there. It only made sense to go into business and deepen my relationship with tea and the farmers who make it with such care and humility. Now I own a small, but unique tea business importing the best teas that my farmer friends in China have to offer. Some of these teas are from regions that have never exported before. All of them have a story.

I will review teas on Steepster, because I think this is an awesome site, and a great community, but I won’t give them a numerical rating, as I don’t want to skew the system. I am having a great time here, and look forward to meeting more tea folk.

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Website

http://www.verdanttea.com

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