Ban Na Stone-Compressed Ripened Pu-erh Cake (Shou 熟) — 2014

Other names: Ban-Na, 版纳, Lao Ban Zhang (老班章), Stone-Pressed Pu-erh, Shou Pu-erh, Ripe Pu-erh, 熟普

Before machines, pu-erh cakes were pressed by hand under heavy stone mills — and a few still are.

This is one: a traditional stone-compressed ripe (Shou) cake from Menghai, denser and more old-school for it.

And it's excellent everyday value.

About This Cake

Fermented in 2014 and made by Xiu-Lin (秀林), it brews clear and bright red with the clean, woody, classic Menghai ripe flavour. A high-value everyday cake: lovely now, and happy to age further.

• Type: Ripened (Shou 熟) pu-erh cake · stone-compressed
• Region: Menghai (勐海), ban-na, Yunnan
• Craft: traditional stone-mill compression — denser, more classic
• Taste: clear bright-red brew, clean and woody
• Best for: high-value everyday drinking
• Ageing: fermented 2014 · drink now or age further
• Manufacturer: Xiu-Lin (秀林)
• Weight: 357g cake · 50g sample

Essential Pu-erh Tea Accessories

A few pieces make pu-erh much easier to enjoy:

• Cake pin (breaker): a pu-erh cake is pressed rock-hard, so you'll want a proper pu-erh cake pin to prise it into pieces without shredding the leaf.
• Teapot: for pu-erh we reach first for a Yixing zisha pot — the unglazed clay softens pu-erh's earthy edges for a rounder, smoother cup — or a gaiwan for an easier, more affordable start.
• Storage: keep your cakes breathing and organised in a pu-erh bamboo storage unit.

See the full range in our Pu-erh accessories.

Want to understand pu-erh a little better? Here's some honest, no-fluff knowledge to help you find your cake.

How to Choose Your First Pu-erh

The quick version:

Raw (Sheng) is like sashimi — fresh, bright and a little wild;

Ripe (Shou) is like a rich, slow-cooked stew — dark, mellow and smooth, transformed by time.

Love green or white tea? Start raw.

Love black tea, dark tea (hei cha) or roasted oolong? Start ripe — like this cake.

Your next pu-erh: explore by region.

Scroll down — there's plenty here to help you decide. Finding a cake you love is a genuinely fun journey, and the pricey one isn't always the one that suits you.

Every one of our cakes comes in a 50g sample, so you can try before you commit. There's no better way to know a tea than to taste it.

And once you find your favourite — buy a little more to keep. Most pu-erh cakes are aged for years, and when a batch sells out, it's gone for good. Storing the one you love is the smart move.

Pu-erh Regions: Why Origin Shapes Taste & Price

Region is one of the biggest reasons two pu-erhs can differ so much in taste, quality and price.

Across Yunnan, tea grows on hundreds of mountains, each giving its own character — shaped by the land and the tree type (ancient-tree, arbor or plantation).

Here's how Yunnan's three core regions break down — and what to expect from each:

A handy shorthand pu-erh drinkers use:

Ban Zhang is the king (bold and powerful),

Bing Dao is the queen (sweet and smooth),

Yiwu is grace itself (soft, supple and silky).

What Decides a Pu-erh's Price?

Pu-erh prices run from everyday to eye-watering, and it helps to know what you're paying for. A few things set the price:

• Where it's grown (region): a famous mountain like Lao Ban Zhang or Bing Dao is scarce and commands top prices.
• The tree (variety & age): ancient-tree (gu shu) leaf sits above arbor (qiao mu), which sits above plantation (tai di).
• The pick: even from the same tree, tender bud-and-tip fetches more than coarser leaf — and spring tea is prized over autumn.
• Age, storage, grade & brand: older well-stored cakes, higher grades, and established houses like Dayi and Xiaguan all add to the price.

That's why two cakes with the same famous name — say, "Bing Dao" — can sit at very different prices. The exact village, tree type, grade and season all change what ends up in the cup, so the same name never means the same tea.

Pu-erh, Caffeine & Antioxidants

Like all true tea from the Camellia sinensis plant, pu-erh is post-fermented and naturally contains antioxidants and caffeine — that's simply part of the leaf.

A gently brewed, well-aged ripe pu-erh tends to drink smooth and rounded rather than sharp. It's the classic cup to enjoy after a rich meal — warming, comforting and easy — which is exactly how it's been loved in China for generations. If you're sensitive to caffeine, keep your leaf light and your steeps short.

Brew this ripened pu-erh the right way

— check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care, and The Origins below 👇