Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

One of the intentionally aged teas, Pu-Erh has a loyal following.


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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by the_economist » Feb 19th, '14, 03:29

Tead Off wrote:
the_economist wrote:
Tead Off wrote: Sellers making their own cakes is an attempt at control and selection according to their 'knowledge' of tea. This is a good direction, IMO. It brings the seller into contact with the farmers and producers and there are personal relationships forged. It also allows the seller to pass on real information about the teas to their buyers.
I would be a bit more conservative and say only the best sellers are able to extract real information from their contacts and pass them on.
I am referring to the sellers who are making their own private label cakes who are directly in contact with the farmers and processors. They get to see and pick the leaf and grades for their teas. Doesn't get any closer than this for real information for people like you and me. :D
I don't know about you but I don't rely on sellers who make bad private label cakes for real information :P. I suspect being in 'direct contact' with farmers and processors gives a pleasant farm-stay maybe, but is probably not a very strong guarantee of getting real information.
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Feb 19th, '14, 03:45
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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by Tead Off » Feb 19th, '14, 03:45

Are you saying that this seller makes bad private label cakes? Which ones have you had?

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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by the_economist » Feb 19th, '14, 03:53

Did I say something about this seller? I was quite careful not to so I hope it didn't seem that way. Did you somehow mean that only this particular seller makes private label cakes direct from farmers and processors?
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Feb 19th, '14, 03:56
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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by Tead Off » Feb 19th, '14, 03:56

the_economist wrote:Did I say something about this seller? I was quite careful not to so I hope it didn't seem that way. Did you somehow mean that only this particular seller makes private label cakes direct from farmers and processors?
Sorry, I inferred that because we were talking about this guy's LBZ cakes. Of course we don't want bad private label cakes. Who is doing that, if I may ask?

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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by the_economist » Feb 19th, '14, 04:01

No problem at all, I see how its an easy conclusion to jump to mistakenly.
The ones who don't provide real information despite making private label cakes, if you believe those exist.
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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by bankung » Apr 2nd, '15, 19:52

Sorry to revive this thread. Just wondering if anyone got to try this puerhshop LBZ? :D

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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by gasninja » Apr 6th, '15, 08:00

bonescwa wrote:I'll include it in my next order :)
I know that people have said this shop sold fake 1998 cnnps but for simple, everyday tea I have enjoyed some of his offerings. It's interesting how the medium end sellers like him, Scott of YS, etc. have been releasing their own cakes lately. Is there a general idea of the quality/authenticity of these products? YS seems to be making a lot.
I bought that cake for a laugh when he first put it on his site. It was way to cheap then for genuine LBZ. When I bought this I knew there was about a 5 % chance of it containing any LBZ. What it does have is the taste of agrochemicals though. I threw mine away.

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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by gasninja » Apr 6th, '15, 08:11


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Re: Lao Ban Zhang - Real or Fake?

by Tead Off » Apr 6th, '15, 10:22

gasninja wrote:https://www.essenceoftea.com/tea/puerh- ... zhang.html

Has anyone tried this yet?
That's a pretty hefty price tag on a tea that is, let's say, 'a distant cousin'. My only comment is to sample, sample, sample. :D

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