2022 Xigui Single-Origin Ancient Tree Raw Puerh Tea Ball

Xigui Tea originates from Manglu Mountain in Xigui Village, Bangdong Township, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. Manglu Mountain stretches eastward from the towering Daxue Mountain of Lincang down to the Lancang River, with the Guixi Ferry at its base. In recent years, Xigui has gained popularity among tea enthusiasts and has earned the nickname “The Lao Banzhang of Lincang.”

The ancient tea gardens of Xigui are mostly located mid-mountain and are interspersed within natural forests. The ancient tea trees are approximately 200 years old. Xigui tea belongs to the Bangdong large-leaf varietal. Due to the local practice of harvesting only in spring and autumn each year, the tea trees are well preserved, and the quality of tea produced here is significantly higher than that of many other villages.

Xigui Tea is rich in internal substances and highly durable across multiple infusions. The tea soup has a high concentration, full body, and strong aroma. It possesses powerful cha qi (tea energy), yet the liquor is smooth and delicate. Its texture is refined, with a strong returning sweetness (hui gan) and salivation (sheng jin), leaving a long-lasting fragrance in the mouth.

Upon brewing, the tea liquor is a bright golden-yellow. From the first sip, the aroma is instantly noticeable — clean and sweet, with no off-notes. After three infusions, the hui gan becomes more pronounced, the aroma intensifies, and salivation is stimulated from the cheeks to the underside of the tongue. The tongue may feel slightly astringent but this sensation quickly dissipates. From the fourth to sixth infusion, the aroma shifts between floral and mushroom-like notes, with a rich rock sugar sweetness. After the seventh infusion, the color of the tea soup remains stable and the taste continues to deepen, with a profound throat feel (hou yun). After ten infusions, the liquor gradually becomes lighter, the sweetness slightly fades, but the hui gan persists and the rock sugar note still lingers.

The 2023 Xigui Single-Origin Ancient Tree Pure Spring Tea is crafted entirely from tea leaves picked from 200- to 300-year-old ancient tea trees in the Xigui region of Yunnan. It is handmade using traditional techniques and pressed with a stone mold — a tea truly worth tasting and collecting for connoisseurs.