The Unpolished Edge of Xiaguan Bing Dao Ling Yun

Coffee lovers, wine enthusiasts, tea devotees—here’s a sip that defies the polished. This 2025 Xiaguan Bing Dao Ling Yun raw puer is a raw, unfiltered lesson in youthful ferocity. At first pour, it’s a sharp, almost aggressive punch—rock candy sweetness clashes with sheng funk, while citrus whispers hint at a more nuanced future. The tea’s early stages are all about tension: a green grass note bites the tongue, tobacco lingers on the inside of cheeks, and the finish is a fleeting sweetness that dissolves like sugar in hot water.

By the second steep, the tea begins to unravel. Floral bitterness gives way to a slick mouthfeel, tingling on the tongue and cooling on the inhale. The bitterness evolves into something medicinal, like aspirin dissolved in warm water, while faint barbecue smoke lingers in the background. Sweetness creeps in slowly, bringing fruitiness that feels like a promise rather than a payoff. The third steep adds depth—latex rubber and rock sugar clash, but the mouthfeel becomes noticeably coated, with a caffeinated buzz that lingers.

This tea is a study in contrasts. By the fifth steep, the bitterness clings to lips and teeth, but sweetness starts to soften the edges, coaxing salivation and a lingering fruit sweetness that lingers deep into the finish. The final steep reveals a battle between roughness and grace: the initial bite remains, but the finish grows longer, hinting at the tea’s potential to mellow with age.

Key points: This raw puer is a lesson in patience. Its youthful bitterness is undeniable, but the sweetness and fruitiness suggest a future worth waiting for. The tea’s texture evolves from light to coated, offering a tactile journey alongside its flavor. For now, it’s tuition—raw, unrefined, and unapologetically bold.

What’s your take on raw puer’s role in the tea world? How would you age this one?

Questions & Answers

Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.