普洱茶, 普洱茶的好处, 璞润元

The Ultimate Guide to Laobanzhang: An Article to Unlock the Collection and Tasting Methods of the King of Puerh Tea

By Caesar DD Apr 10, 2025 129

introduction

In the world of Pu'er tea, Laobanzhang is an unavoidable legend. This ancient village located in Bulang Mountain, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, writes the "King's Law" in the Pu'er tea world with its 4,700 mu ancient tea garden and the scarcity of only 50 tons per year. In 2025, although the price of Laobanzhang ancient tree tea raw materials has dropped from 25,000 yuan/kg last year to 15,600 yuan/kg, it still sits firmly at the top of the Pu'er tea price pyramid. This article will decode the ultimate charm of Laobanzhang from five dimensions: geographical code, craft secrets, taste philosophy, market game, and collection guide, and exclusively reveal the six major trends in the Pu'er tea market in 2025.

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1. Geographical Code: Natural Gifts at 21° North Latitude

(1. The “Golden Triangle” of the Ecosystem

老班章地处北纬 21°，海拔 1700-1900 米，年均气温 18.7℃，年降水量 1341-1540 毫米。这里的红壤与黄壤富含矿物质，透气性极佳，为茶树提供了理想的生长环境。古茶园与原始森林混生，形成独特的 “茶树 - 乔木 - 灌木” 垂直生态系统，其中寄生植物螃蟹脚（石斛）的存在，进一步印证了生态多样性。

(2. A “natural laboratory” for climate

Dry season (November-April): The temperature difference between day and night reaches 15℃, which promotes the accumulation of tea polyphenols and amino acids. A study by Yunnan Agricultural University in 2025 showed that the tea polyphenol content of Laobanzhang spring tea reached 38%, which is 1.5 times that of ordinary Pu'er tea.
Rainy season (May-October): The average daily coverage of clouds and fog is 8 hours, and diffuse light accelerates the conversion of chlorophyll, forming the iconic "honey fragrance orchid rhyme" of Laobanzhang.

(3. A “living fossil” of history

Laobanzhang was built in 1476 and now has more than 2,000 thousand-year-old tea trees. According to data from the Menghai County Agricultural Bureau in 2025, 35% of the trees are over 300 years old. The roots of these tea trees are up to 3 meters deep and can absorb trace elements from deep soil.

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2. The Secret of Craftsmanship: A Dialogue between Tradition and Modernity in Space and Time

(1. The “gold standard” of picking

Time window: The first spring picking period is from March 20 to April 10 every year, which lasts only 20 days. Tea farmers need to complete picking before 10 am, when the water content of fresh leaves is 80% and the enzyme activity is optimal.
Picking standards: Strictly follow the "one bud and two leaves", and the bud length is controlled at 3-4 cm. In 2025, the new product of Bajiaoting, Laobanzhang, adopts the "screening and grading" process to divide the buds and leaves into three grades according to length to ensure the consistency of the taste of the finished tea.

(2. The “Temperature Art”

Traditional pan frying: Use a cast iron pan with a diameter of 1.2 meters, a pan temperature of 220℃, and a stir-frying time of 6-8 minutes. In 2025, Menghai Tea Factory introduced infrared temperature measurement technology, with an error control of ±2℃.
Modern innovation: Some tea companies try "segmented killing", with high temperature (240℃) for the first 3 minutes to inactivate enzyme activity, and low temperature (180℃) for the last 5 minutes to retain aroma substances.

(3.The “Bacteria Revolution” of Aging

Dry warehouse storage: humidity 60-70%, temperature 20-25℃. In 2025, the "Yuncha Warehouse" intelligent system can remotely control temperature and humidity, shortening the aging cycle by 30%.
Microbial community: The Yunnan Institute of Microbiology showed that during the fermentation of Laobanzhang ripe tea, dominant bacteria such as Aspergillus niger, yeast, and lactic acid bacteria work together to produce functional ingredients such as lovastatin.

3. Taste philosophy: from “domineering president” to “gentle gentleman”

(1. New tea period (1-3 years)

Sensory experience: The soup is bright yellow-green, bitter and lightly astringent, the bitterness is concentrated on the tongue, and the astringency is evenly distributed. The comparative test of Iceland Laozhai Ancient Tree Tea in 2025 showed that the bitterness of Laobanzhang is 2.3 times that of Iceland, and the sweetness is 30% faster.
Chemical analysis: The content of tea polyphenols is 35%, caffeine is 4.2%, and the total amount of catechins is 28%, which constitutes the material basis of the "dominant" taste.

(2. Mid-term tea (5-10 years)

Transformation code: Tea polyphenols are oxidized to thearubigins, the content increases to 12%, and the soup color turns golden yellow. A comparison of Yiwu Mahei raw tea in 2015 shows that the content of aged aromatic substances (such as terpenes) in Laobanzhang is 40% higher.
Drinking scene: Suitable for business reception, the mellowness and depth of the tea soup can show the taste of the host.

(3. Aged Tea (20 years +)

Ultimate form: Thea brown pigment content exceeds 15%, the soup is as red and thick as red wine, and the taste is "as dense as silk". In the 2025 Beijing Poly Spring Auction, the 1988 "88 Green Cake" (Lao Banzhang raw material) was sold at 1.28 million yuan per piece, with an annualized yield of 15%.
Cultural value: The Palace Museum's co-branded tea "Banzhang Gongcha" uses the Qing Dynasty tribute tea craftsmanship, with a premium rate of 200%.

4. Market Game: Dual Variations of Scarcity and Capital

(1. A barometer of price fluctuations

Market conditions in 2025: Raw materials of ancient tea trees are 10,000-15,600 yuan/kg, down 37.6% from 2024, but still 50 times that of ordinary Pu'er tea.
Reasons for the decline: domestic economic downturn, inventory backlog, and changes in young consumers' preferences (such as rising demand for convenient packaged cooked tea).

(2. The “hard currency” of the collection market

Auction record: In the 2025 Shanghai Guardian Spring Auction, the 2003 "SARS Banzhang" was sold for 8 million yuan per piece, setting a new record for the price of a single cake.
Investment logic: Old Banzhang accounts for 35% of the Pu'er tea collection market share, and its scarcity (annual production of 50 tons) and cultural premium (the perception that "Banzhang is king") constitute its core value.

(3. The polarization of the consumer market

High-end market: The annual sales volume of pure tea from ancient trees (such as the new product Laobanzhang from Bajiaoting) increased by 15%, and the collectors aged 30-40 accounted for 45%.
Mass market: Blended tea (such as Dayi "7572") accounted for 65% of the market share, with a price range of 100-300 yuan per cake.

5. Collection Guide: Six Identification Techniques for Beginners

(1. Look at the appearance

Tea leaves: Tea leaves from ancient trees have thick tea leaves, with visible buds and short interleaf spacing (1-2 cm). Tea leaves from terraced areas have thin tea leaves and long interleaf spacing (3-4 cm).
Horseshoe foot: The "horse hoof" left on the petiole is a characteristic of tea leaves from ancient trees, with a diameter of ≥5 mm.

(2. Smell the aroma

New tea: honey aroma with orchid aroma, long-lasting cold cup aroma (more than 12 hours).
Old tea: aged aroma, ginseng aroma and jujube aroma, no pungent musty smell.

(3. Tea tasting

Thickness: The tea soup has a "gelatinous texture" when it enters the mouth, and the hanging time in the cup is ≥30 seconds.
Aftertaste: The speed of bitterness turning into sweetness is ≤5 seconds, and the duration of aftertaste is ≥3 minutes.

(4.Leaf bottom

Activity: The bottom of the old tree tea leaves is very elastic and rebounds quickly after being pressed by fingers. The bottom of the terrace tea leaves is soft and the veins are unclear.
Color: The bottom of new tea leaves is yellow-green, and the bottom of old tea leaves is reddish-brown, without burnt spots.

(5. Check certificate

Organic certification: ECOCERT certification is the EU market access threshold, and Rainforest Alliance certification ensures sustainable planting.
Blockchain traceability: China Tea "Butterfly Brand" Pu'er tea uses blockchain technology, and you can scan the code to check the origin of the raw materials and fermentation batches.

(6. Brewing test

Brewing resistance: Ancient tree tea can be brewed for more than 15 times, and it still has a sweet taste after the 10th brew.
Steeping test: Steep for 5 minutes. If the tea soup is not sour or astringent, it is well aged. If it is sour, it is a fermentation failure.

6. Trends in 2025: Dual Variations of Tradition and Innovation

(1. Technological innovation

New technology for cooked tea: "Low temperature and long fermentation" (40℃/60 days) improves the sweetness of tea soup, and "probiotic inoculation" technology reduces the pile smell.
Raw tea storage: Intelligent storage systems (such as "cloud warehouses") can achieve remote control of temperature and humidity, shortening the aging cycle by 30%.

(2. Consumption upgrade

Health labels: "Lipid-lowering cooked tea" and "antioxidant raw tea" have become hot-selling products in e-commerce, and the growth rate of functional products exceeds 40%.
Cultural empowerment: The premium rate of the Palace Museum co-branded tea and intangible cultural heritage tea has reached 200%, and tea culture experience stores (such as "Dayi Tea Court") have become traffic entrances.

(3. Sustainability

Environmentally friendly materials: The "bamboo fiber tea warehouse" that will be popular in 2025 is biodegradable and more breathable than traditional cartons, reducing costs by 20%.
Shared warehousing: Tea Friends Network has launched the "cloud warehouse sharing" model, where users can rent professional storage space online and charge by the day.

Conclusion: The epic of civilization in a cup of tea

The charm of Laobanzhang lies not only in the uniqueness of its geographical environment and the rigor of its craftsmanship, but also in the cultural depth it carries. When the "88 Green Cake" repeatedly set sky-high prices at auctions in 1988, and when the price of raw materials of ancient tree tea remains strong in 2025, what we see is not only the economic value of tea, but also the awe and cherishment of human beings for the gifts of nature. In this era of rapid iteration, Laobanzhang interprets the "compound interest of time" and "the eternity of craftsmanship" with the story of a leaf.