2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake from Bana Tea Company – Tea Review

I purchased the 2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake from Bana Tea Company when I was at the LA International Tea Festival. I remember tasting the 2015 Bulang Shou at the Festival, but I ended up buying both as the shou was so good, plus the price was affordable. This Bulang sheng is a spring harvest from 100 year old trees.

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Dry Leaf

The cake broke apart easily, so it is likely a stone/hand pressed cake.

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Steeping Instructions

I tried doing a younger sheng treatment, so 200F, but I ended up using a slightly higher leaf of 1 gram to 14ml. I didn’t want to waste any loose bits as I don’t have my frankensheng tin with me. The pu’er steeps up clear with a light tint and a creamy, steamed greens scent.

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Tasting of Bana Tea Company’s 2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake

First, Second and Third Infusion: The bulang has a soft, creamy and sweet in flavor with a hint of grass, tulips, and slight char. The intensity is light and easy to drink. The aftertaste builds into a sweet floral. I think someone who hasn’t tried raw pu’er before would think this is an oolong due to the fragrance.

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Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Infusion: The tea has shifted to savory with a light/moderate flavor – clean, grassy leaf with a pleasant bitterness. The finish has a lovely peachy floral taste. The bitterness is quite nice. The aftertaste builds with each steeping, and it takes over to a thick peachy floral taste.

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Tenth and Eleventh Infusion: I did long steeps here, 5 and 10 minute, as the last one was very light. The 2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake’s flavor is light but the finish is a strong bitter grassy with a savory sharp floral aftertaste. There’s some dryness, hitting the back of the tongue. I tried a 12th steeping and didn’t get much flavor.

Seattle tea drinking!

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Comments

2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake from Bana Tea Company is very friendly and easy to drink, only the final steepings were a bit rough. Overall, this little mini cake is a solid, ready to drink, every day drinker pu’er. The 2015 Bulang Raw Mini Cake would make a very good new sheng drinker tea and the price is right, right now $14 for 100 grams! The cake is small and easy to break, so you don’t need much effort to get drinking.

If ripes/shou pu’er is more your style, be sure to check out my review on Bana Tea Company’s 2015 Bulang Ripe Mini Cake!

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