There is a saying:
"Tea from Banzhang never leaves Banzhang."
While this is clearly an exaggeration, it serves to illustrate the degree to which tea from this village is prized, as it is of legendary quality. This high-mountain Banzhang tea is an exemplar, which is delicious to drink now, and will grow better and better with age.
These leaves produce a vibrant, dark mahogany brew with a sweet, earthy flavor. Its intense earthiness drops off quickly, giving way to a sweet, pure flavor, with elements of cucumber, celery, cherry wood, iron, pluots, and succulents. Its granitelike yun flavor is readily apparent, and its qi is cool and moistening. Its texture is silky smooth, and slippery, and it leaves a delightful sweetness on the tongue, known in Mandarin as "huí tián". This tea moves the qi, causes the mouth to water, brings qi to the face, throat, and third eye, and leaves one feeling relaxed, yet engergized.
Brewed gongfu style, this tea lasts about a dozen brews.
Each cake consists of approximately 357 grams.