Lao Man E Ancient-Tree Ripened Pu-erh Cake (Shou 熟) — Bulang 2021

Other names: Lao Man E, 老曼峨, Bulang, Ancient Tree (古树), Gushu, Menghai Pu-erh, Shou Pu-erh, 熟普

This is the top of our ripe pu-erh range: a pure ancient-tree (gushu) Lao Man E, ripe.

Pressed in spring 2021 from the leaf of hundred-year-old trees on Bulang Mountain, and carefully small-basket fermented, it's rich, deep and full-bodied.

The kind of Shou Cake you keep coming back to.

About This Cake

A premium ancient-tree (古树) ripe (Shou) pu-erh cake from Lao Man E (老曼峨) — a top tea village on Bulang Mountain in Menghai. It's made from carefully selected 100-year-old ancient-tree leaf, pure material, consistent inside and out.

Rather than a large pile, it's small-basket fermented — a more careful method that draws out the leaf's rich inner substance. The result is deep, full-bodied and mellow, with the thick, rounded aroma Lao Man E ripe is loved for. 

• Type: Ripened (Shou 熟) pu-erh cake · our finest Shou
• Origin: Lao Man E (老曼峨), Bulang Mountain, Menghai (勐海)
• Trees: pure ancient-tree (gushu 古树), 100+ years old
• Craft: small-basket fermented for a refined, rich result
• Taste: deep, full-bodied and mellow, thick rounded aroma
• Production: spring 2021
• 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 👇