Laoman’e brand entered the puerh scene in ’03. Their official name is Menghai County Banzhang Tea Factory but are better known as LME, the characters being included in their swooshing logo pictured below.
LME’s founder Chen Cai is a relative youngster born only in 1987 to a Lancang family already involved with tea production. Though producing both raw and ripe, it’s the Puer Junkie’s impression that their ripes are a shade more well received. Ripes tend to be on the heavier side of fermentation, excelling in a rich texture and taste with balanced sweetness and solid aging. This brand even enjoys some cache in Hong Kong. Samples avail on the Ripe Sampler page.
’06 Nannuo
Nannuo is one of the hot-to-trot Menghai area villages. In this LME production from ’06, one is struck immediately by the stunning clarity and beauty of the Nannuo. Sweet vanilla and camphor combine a light backdrop of petrichor, pine, and maybe just a hint of veggie that is in no way distracting. This is just the aroma.
Woosh. That’s the sensation upon drinking. The brew is exceedingly smooth, evoking the venerated “Choco Pie” or “Moon Pie” depending upon your whereabouts. Yes. We’re talking about that thin layer of chocolate covering two thin vanilla cookies sandwiching a thick marshmallow. The kicker how the camphor adds to the party.
Your royal. . . er loyal Puerh Junkiness noticed that brew times on this are quite forgiving, though there is a difference. The shorter times enhance the cookie aspect, actually evocative of plain cornflakes, while longer times emphasize the camphor action. Stored in Los Angeles since Nov ’20. 357g.
26¢
’09 BZ Peacock King
The BZ Peacock King is a heavy humid-stored ripe crafted from Bulang, Banzhang, and Nannuo old-tree qiaomu broad-leaf variety of puerh. A very highly regarded offering, stored in LA since ’19. 357g.
63¢
’11 Orchid Vibe
Orchid Vibe offers a pleasing ripe-drinking experience. The neipiao reads as follows:
Orchid symbolizes the perfected one, an open valley of lilies and orchids, refined and reserved, plain but not common, fragrant but not extravagant. Orchid: shengtai arbor (qiaomu) puerh from the summits of tea mountains, altitude of 1500m. Silky not heavy, even keeled.
Beautiful liquor, medium thick density, balanced sweetness, outstanding aftertaste of cocoa and geosmin, chewy and grounding, mouth cooling, warming qi. Stored in Los Angeles since May ’20. 357g.
18¢
’12 Arbor King
’12 Arbor King, LME (Qiaomu Wang) neipiao reads as follows
Comprised of Bulang broad-leaf material, using traditional processing and old house standards in fermentation and selection. Production possesses distinctive aged taste, layered strength, rich transformation, with bright red broth. 400g.
33¢
| Size | Arbor King, Nannuo, Orchid Vanilla, Peacock King |
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