Raw pu-erh from Bingdao's core growing area, made from 2020 harvest material that was aged before being pressed and released. Mengku Rongshi — the brand widely credited with establishing Bingdao's reputation — has been sourcing from this area since 1984. Classic Bingdao character: rock-sugar sweetness, a clean cooling finish, and strong salivation that stays long after the cup is empty. Compressed into 8g coin cakes, packaged in small boxes of five. Available as a single box (40g) or a full set of eight boxes (320g).
Mengku Rongshi and Bingdao
Bingdao is now one of the most recognized — and most sought-after — tea origins in China. Mengku Rongshi has been sourcing from the area since 1984, long before it was a name anyone outside the local tea trade knew. When the brand released their first Bingdao tea, the "Mother Tree" ( 母树茶), in 2005, it was among the first to formally introduce this material to a wider market. The description that has followed the brand since — the brand that excavated Bingdao — reflects that history.
This is not a brand that discovered Bingdao recently. They were there before the reputation existed.
The Material and the Aging
The raw material for this tea was harvested in 2020 from high-grade Bingdao area gardens — one bud plus two leaves, selected to the same standard as the brand's other Bingdao products.
Rather than pressing immediately after processing, the brand held the material in dry storage at their Yunnan factory — allowing it to settle, integrate, and develop before compression. The first batch was pressed and released in 2023 after aging in dry storage. Subsequent batches — released in 2024, 2025, and 2026 — draw from the same 2020 material, pressed and released in their respective years.
After leaving the factory, the tea has been stored in Xi'an, in northwest China. Xi'an's climate is dry, with low annual humidity and clear seasonal variation — a natural dry storage environment that allows aging to continue cleanly and slowly, without the intervention of high ambient moisture.
A Note on the Year Marked on Your Box
This product is released in batches: the first in 2023, with subsequent batches in 2024, 2025, and 2026. All batches are made from the same 2020 raw material.
Orders are fulfilled starting from the earliest available batch. The production year printed on your box reflects the actual pressing and release date of that specific batch — not the harvest year, which is 2020 for all batches.
What this means in practice: whichever batch you receive, the raw material is the same. If anything, later batches have had more time to age before you open them. The "aged" designation describes the minimum aging at first release; actual aging at time of drinking may be longer.
If you have a preference for a specific release year, feel free to contact us before ordering and we'll confirm current stock.
What Bingdao Raw Pu-erh Tastes Like
Bingdao has a flavor profile that's distinct enough that experienced drinkers can often identify it blind. The defining characteristics are:
Sweetness: Not the mild background sweetness of many teas — Bingdao sweetness is forward and specific. The comparison that comes up most often is rock sugar or ice sugar water ( 冰糖水). It's clean and high-toned, and it starts at the front of the palate.
Cooling finish: After swallowing, there's a noticeable cooling sensation on the tongue and at the back of the throat. This is one of Bingdao's signatures. It's not menthol — it's subtler and more natural, and it persists.
Salivation: Strong, active, and lasting. The mouth stays lively for several minutes after each sip. This is the quality that makes people reach for another cup.
Aroma: Floral and honeyed in the early steepings, shifting toward something quieter and more settled as the session continues. The cup aroma is sweet and clean.
Soup: Pale gold to light amber, clear and bright. The texture has weight to it — not thin, not heavy, but substantial for a raw pu-erh.
Bitterness and astringency: Present, as they are in all quality raw pu-erh, but not dominant. They resolve quickly into sweetness. After several years of aging, the initial sharpness of a young sheng has softened; the tea is more approachable than it would have been at production.
On drinking now vs. aging further: This tea is at a good stage to drink. The aging period has taken the edge off the rawness without flattening the character. It will continue to develop with further storage — but there is no need to wait.
The Coin Format
Each coin weighs 8g and is scored with a cross, dividing it into four 2g quarters. For gongfu brewing, one coin is a practical starting amount for a standard 100–120ml gaiwan. Breaking the coin into quarters lets you fine-tune without having to pry apart a larger compressed cake.
The small-box format — five coins per box — also makes this easy to give. It's a compact, complete package for someone who wants to try Bingdao raw pu-erh without committing to a full-size cake.
Packaging
| Format |
Contents |
| Single Box |
5 × 8g coins (40g total) |
| Full Set |
8 boxes × 5 coins (320g total) |
Produced in compliance with Chinese national food safety standards (GB standard).
Mengku Rongshi tea-making tradition recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Brewing Guide
Vessel
A porcelain gaiwan is the ideal choice for Bingdao raw pu-erh — it's neutral, shows the soup color clearly, and doesn't interfere with the high, clean sweetness of the tea. A glass teapot works well too. Yixing clay is fine, but use a pot that hasn't been seasoned with ripe pu-erh.
Water
Filtered or spring water. 90–95°C (194–203°F) — slightly below full boil preserves the floral notes in the early steepings. Full boil is also acceptable if that's what you have.
Ratio
One coin (8g) per 100–120ml. Break into quarters to adjust down if preferred.
Rinse
One quick rinse, 5 seconds. Discard. This opens the leaves and removes any surface dust.
Steeping Times (Gongfu)
| Steepings |
Time |
| 1–3 |
10–15 seconds |
| 4–6 |
20–30 seconds |
| 7 onward |
Extend gradually |
The cooling finish and salivation are most noticeable when the soup has cooled slightly in the cup — let it rest for ten seconds before drinking.
Casual brewing
One coin in a 350ml teapot or large mug, water at 90–95°C, steep 2 minutes. Strain and drink. Simple and effective.
Storage After Purchase
- Keep somewhere cool, dry, and away from strong odors
- The original small-box packaging is adequate for short-term storage
- For longer storage, place the boxes in a clean cardboard box or ceramic jar, away from direct light
- No airtight sealing — some air exchange is beneficial for continued aging
- In a very dry climate, don't leave coins fully exposed; keep them in their box
This tea can be drunk now and will continue to develop slowly with time.
Explore the full range: Return to the Mengku Rongshi collection to see all teas from this Shuangjiang, Lincang factory.
