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Bing Dao Dragon Pearl Raw Pu-erh (Sheng 生) — Rock-Sugar Sweet, 2021
Other names: Bing Dao Dragon Pearl, Dragon Pearl Pu-erh, Long Zhu (龙珠), Bingdao Raw Pu-erh, 冰岛龙珠
All the charm of Bing Dao (冰岛) — in a convenient dragon pearl. These hand-rolled raw (Sheng) pu-erh pearls carry Bing Dao's signature rock-sugar sweetness, an elegant aroma and a refreshing, sweet aftertaste, in a brew that's already smooth for its age.
Each pearl is 7–8g — one pearl, one session. No cake to prise apart, no measuring: just drop a pearl in, rinse and brew. Hand-made to keep the leaf whole, and individually wrapped.
About These Dragon Pearls
A premium young raw (Sheng) pu-erh from the Bing Dao area, hand-rolled into little dragon pearls (long zhu).
Each one delivers Bing Dao's classic character — a clean rock-sugar (icing-sugar) sweetness, an elegant aroma and a delightful, refreshing aftertaste — in a cup that's relatively smooth and easy for such a young tea. Rolled at 7–8g per pearl, they're made for one-pearl steeping.
- Type: Raw (Sheng 生) pu-erh dragon pearls, young
- Region: Bing Dao (冰岛), Lincang (临沧), Yunnan
- Flavour: rock-sugar sweetness; elegant aroma; refreshing sweet aftertaste; smooth for its age
- Format: hand-rolled pearls, 7–8g each — one pearl per brew, no cake pin needed
- Production: 2021
- Packaging: 60g or 120g
Essential Pu-erh Tea Accessories
Dragon pearls are the easy option — one pearl per brew, no breaking required. A couple of pieces still help:
- Vessel: for pu-erh we reach first for a Yixing zisha pot — the unglazed clay rounds the cup out for a smoother, fuller brew — or a gaiwan for an easy, more affordable start. A gaiwan shows off Bing Dao's clean sweetness beautifully.
- Storage: keep your pearls fresh in a breathable home like our pu-erh bamboo storage unit or an unglazed clay jar.
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 pu-erh.
How to Choose Your First Pu-erh
Your first pu-erh:
start with our Pu-erh Beginner's Trial Pack.
It brings together raw and ripe, loose and cake, in one box
— the easiest way to feel the difference and learn where you'd like to start next.
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 — like these pearls.
Love black tea, dark tea (hei cha) or roasted oolong? Start ripe — explore our Ripe (Shou) pu-erh.
Your next pu-erh: explore by region.
Scroll down — there's plenty here to help you decide. Finding a pu-erh you love is a genuinely fun journey, and the pricey one isn't always the one that suits you.
These little pearls are one of the easiest ways to enjoy the famous Bing Dao style — sweet, elegant and fuss-free.
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 where these pearls sit:
1. Ban-Na (西双版纳) The King of Pu-erh
Yunnan's most famous region, and home to the old and new "Six Great Tea Mountains." It splits into two very different sides:
Menghai (勐海) — bold and domineering: rich, thick flavour, powerful cha qi and a high aroma. The classic home of ripe (Shou) pu-erh.
↳ Bu-Lang Tea Mountain (布朗茶山) — its most celebrated origins: Ban Zhang (班章), Lao Man E (老曼峨) and Hekai (贺开).
Yiwu (易武) — soft and fine: a floral-honey aroma over a wild forest character, with the least bitterness of all.
2. Lincang (临沧) The Queen of Sweetness
Lincang is all about sweetness — a high, lifted aroma and a broad, generous sweetness, floral and honeyed, with barely any bitterness. It's built on the celebrated Mengku broad-leaf variety.
Best-known origins: Bing Dao (冰岛), Xigui (昔归), Xiao Hu Zhai (小户寨) and Mengku (勐库).
★ These pearls are Bing Dao (冰岛) — Lincang's crown jewel, famed for its clean rock-sugar sweetness.
3. Pu'er (普洱) The Birthplace
Where the name "pu-erh" began. Soft, sweet and balanced, leaning to a floral-fruity sweetness — easy and approachable.
Best-known origins: Wuliang Shan (无量山) and Kunlu Shan (困鹿山).
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): the famous core Bing Dao village is scarce and dear — the wider area is far more affordable.
- 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.
- Format: hand-rolled pearls are a convenient, low-fuss way to enjoy a famous style.
That's why two teas both labelled "Bing Dao" can sit at very different prices. The exact village, tree type, grade and season change everything, so the name alone never means the same tea. These pearls are a friendly way into the style; our Bing Dao Gu Shu flagship is the core-village peak.
We're honest about price. These pearls are the Bing Dao style made easy — that famous rock-sugar sweetness, in a fuss-free, one-pearl-per-brew format.
A bigger price tag doesn't mean "better for you." Don't chase the number on the label: trust your tongue, not the price. The right pu-erh is simply the one you love drinking — which is exactly why we sample everything first.
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.
Young raw pu-erh like this is bright and lively in the cup. If you're sensitive to caffeine, keep your leaf light and your steeps short, and enjoy it earlier in the day.
Brew these raw pu-erh pearls the right way
— check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care, and The Origins below 👇
🍵 Brewing Guide
📦 Storage & Care
🌿 The Origins
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