Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Lao Ban Zhang is a village on Bulang Mountain, so all Lao Ban Zhang is Bulang tea and almost no Bulang tea is Lao Ban Zhang. The name is the most counterfeited in China.
Point by point
| Dimension | Bulang sheng pu-erh | Lao Ban Zhang sheng pu-erh |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Dark tea and pu-erh · not applicable · post-fermented (natural ageing) | Dark tea and pu-erh · not applicable · post-fermented (natural ageing) |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying → Compression → Ageing and storage. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Sun-drying (shai qing) → Compression → Ageing and storage. spring harvest. |
| Origin | China — Bulang | China — Lao Ban Zhang and Bulang |
| Flavour | vegetal, mineral, smoky and fruity. bitter, astringent, full bodied and complex in the mouth. Aroma: bitter greens, camphor, smoke, stone fruit. Layered in character. Bold in intensity. | vegetal, sweet and smoky. full bodied, bitter, rich and complex in the mouth. Aroma: bitter greens, sugarcane, camphor, smoke. Layered in character. Bold in intensity. |
| Brewing | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 8s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 8s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. |
| Cultural context | Used in Pu-erh ageing and collecting culture. | The most counterfeited tea name in China by some distance. Annual genuine production is a small fraction of what is sold, and there is no way to verify a cake from its appearance. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.