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Brewing this Western-style to finish it up. Delicious, thick-bodied tea liquor, and tastes fresh and crisp even though this is the 2016 Spring batch and I’m drinking it in December 2017.

Good value so I don’t feel bad Western-style brewing this. I brewed mine at 195˚F for 35s in a brewing basket in a mug, it smelled divine and pretty strong. Mixed it with milk and drank it with banana bread for breakfast this morning.

(Changed my mind since the last time I said I couldn’t Western-style brew this haha)

A bit bland, I think I used too much water to leaf this time. Probably good for when you’re recovering from a cold.

I have the Spring 2016 batch. Brewed at 193˚F. Heavenly malty, earthy, burnt-sugar aroma but the liquid is more earthy and not as sweet as it smells. Very good tea.

I had to wait till this year to try this tea, because the first couple times I brewed it last year (2016) it still tasted too young and bland.

First infusion: 182˚F
Liquor is very pale, made me think I had underbrewed it. But it smells creamy and fruity, tastes light and refreshing. I can see why people compare the flavour to persimmon, though it’s not what jumps out at me immediately––just some kind of uncommon fruit note. Delicious!

Second infusion: 185˚F
The aroma of this tea is so intoxicating, sort of warm gourmand-y and like vanilla but less sweet. If I could wear it as a perfume I would. Reminds me of some of my favourite scents like Micallef’s Ylang in Gold.

Next time will try first infusion at 185˚F.

Some of the most beautiful tea leaves I’ve ever seen. Flavour is fresh and delicious, but still not my favourite green tea.

I started at 175˚F and brewed it up to 180˚F. Might try starting at 180 or 185˚ next time.

First taste score: 80

Second taste score: 83
Added milk to this and it tastes phenomenal as a milk tea! Has that beautiful orange-brown colour similar to Thai Iced Tea.

Brewed at 203˚F this time. Much smoother, mellow taste with no astringency. Flavour remains very subtle but it’s much more enjoyable. Still not as memorable as the 2007 Palace Ripened Pu Er, but much better than my first experience with this tea.

Updated Rating: 80

Rinsed once for 2s. Unfortunately I didn’t read the instructions and brewed this with boiling water. It tasted astringent (not burnt) but the flavour was very light after brewing for 30s. Tasted slightly herbal, not objectionable. This tea smelled better (more mellow, more soothing, less sharp) than the 2007 ripe Pu Er I tried previously, but the taste is nothing special.

Second infusion at 212˚F, 50s tasted horribly bitter and astringent. Probably overbrewed it badly. I will make sure to brew the remainder of my sample at 203˚F.

Initial Rating: 72

First infusion:
Didn’t rinse. I dislike the smell of pu-erh teas in general, but the taste was pretty smooth and unobjectionable.

Second and Third infusions:
Very smooth and drinkable tea. Goes great with food. In three infusions I drank about two full gaiwans of tea and am beginning to feel the caffeine jitters.

Dry leaves in a warm gaiwan smell like rich dark chocolate / cacao with a hint of cherry liqueur.

First brew at 195˚F but that was clearly not hot enough. I’ll start at 200˚F next time. The liquid is a light amber colour and has that sort of sugary GABA-oolong taste but is delicious.

Second brew at 204˚F, much better.