’09 Marshmallow Mischief

This bamboo‑tubed Bulang raw Pu‑erh opens with a toasted marshmallow top note and a sticky‑rice sweetness that plays against bracing bitterness and astringency. It piques salivation immediately, finishing with a Zen marshmallow huigan that lingers eons. The qi intoxicates.  The wicked compression calls for bold infusion times to unlock its depth. Produced at Xinghai Tea Factory under Zhang Jian‑li — one of the Five Golden Flowers of Menghai Tea Factory — this tea has been in Los Angeles since November ’23.

Puerh Junky hasn’t encountered other bamboo‑processed Xinghai productions, making this offering uniquely positioned within the factory’s catalog. While there may be a smattering of Naka material (no more than 15%), the profile is fundamentally Bulang — strong, grounded, and without the floral pizazz or funky charm characteristic of pure Naka.  Xinghai shared productions from both Naka and Bulang between ’06 and ’09, though Bulang and Banzhang make up the lion share of most offerings.

Bamboo Pu‑erh can be tricky to execute, especially when not sold in the original bamboo tube. In this case, the vendor cut the 500g tubes into 250g allotments. Perfectly executed roasting — no over‑toasting, no scorched edges — allows the bamboo juices to release naturally, imparting that signature sticky‑rice aroma without muting the underlying material. The result yields a well‑balanced, distinctive bamboo raw Pu‑erh that stands out for its fragrance, clarity, and bitter Bulang character.

25¢

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