pu-erh of the day. Sheng or Shou

Had some very nice Yiwu shou puerh today. I don’t think I’ve ever had Yiwu shou puerh. The vendor described it as ‘shy’. That fit.

Today I had my first session with a White 2 Tea purchase from last fall — 2001 Menghai Red Mark Tiepai Raw.
The aroma of the cake is quite gentle. Actually, it has a hint of “old library” aroma but rather distant. Lots of nice whole leaves throughout the cake. A lovely clean and clear tea liquor with a distinct orange hue. Low and dark in its sweet aroma and taste – a little nutty and fruity mixed with mellow-earthiness. Good mouthfeel with a smooth texture. Nice full chaqi producing a very relaxed feeling. In about the 9th infusion the tea begins to fade. Interesting tea session which I quite enjoyed. I would not describe this as an “exciting” tea (in other words, it won’t knock your socks off) but I must say that I found it to be delicious and extremely comforting.

Today I’m having 2012 Yunnan Sourcing “Spring Xi Kong” Ancient Arbor Raw. A very open disclaimer is that I’m completely biased in regards to good Spring Xi Kong material.

The dried leaves offer honey and grain sweetness subtle stone fruit and floral notes; when wet they become very aromatic with deep honey, warm grains, stone fruits with plum/apricot undertones, gentle bitterness that resemble steamed veggies and creamy thickness.

The steeps are gentle and VERY complex with very pleasant subtle changes along the steeps. Its hard to describe its complexity because the notes are ‘playful’ and they seem more like a good melody with high and low notes that compliment each other. I love that it always has very forward sweetness with the very Yiwu almost olive oil notes in the middle, the fruity/floral notes play around a lot and the only times briefly stopped paying attention to them was because the oily to creamy mouth feel distracted me.

I wish I could afford more of this… all of this? lol

Having a 1993 Menghai Spring Bud from finepuerh.
Got this out to celebrate with tonight. Been saving this.
I got the pack out the box even has a picture of the tea inside. Nice packaging points given.
The dry leaf has a bit of the old book aroma to it. The leaf is an almost pitch color.
I tossed it in the Gaiwan and did a quick rinse. The wash looked very dark so I will steep this quick 2 to 3 seconds. The color is a light gold and I had expected a darker brew from a tea of this age. I would think dry stored. The aroma is a bit musky with a bit of campfire in there as well. This may have been due to the makers still doing hand processing instead of machine. The taste is smoky a good sharp citrus flavor and a good hit of bitter, I have had 6 steeps and this one is still doing well holding up. The Cha Qui of this one is slowly creeping in and I am getting some of the cooling and camphor notes.

2002 CNNP Little Yellow Mark Private Order Aged Raw
This is a tea with nice power – the power of rich content. It begins with a bit of astringency and smoke but quickly they both fade away. Next, the herbal and grassy notes move forward and become more prominent with a lovely sweetness poking through. The sip becomes very smooth by the third or fourth steeping and the sweetness begins to break through. After drinking three cups, I am left with a distinct dryness in the mouth and throat. This cake is definitely made with good raw material but it still has room to mature with more age. I’m going to move this one to the back of the humidity monitored sheng cabinet and let it sit for another year or two before trying again.

Im drinking New Amerikah 2 White2Tea. first steeps were very mild but i knew its deceiving. on a 3rd steep it hit me. it is strong bitter tea but i like it a lot. only few months ago i probably wouldnt be able to drink it. Besides being bitter its incredibly smooth, even creamy. and there is a sweetness comes in the end of the sip. very happy i was able to try this sample. its a swap from Instagram member. i need to ask him if he is on Steepster.

http://instagram.com/p/zDHAkdBwip/

http://instagram.com/p/zDJrKMBwnW/

2014 Yunnan Sourcing Ku Zhu Sha Raw. This is a very flavorful Puerh with honeyed sweet front, brothy middle and fruity-floral notes. It is very pleasant and round its notes fairly fast. The only downside I found is that it winds out fast.

All my sessions felt week after the 6th steep and it only offered bitter notes which were pleasant, but lacking the character that you tasted up front. Still would recommend a try.

2011 Bulang Brick I’ve been busying myself with my recent order in between dealing with a tooth ordeal and a computer fiasco, the latter having left me, or my files, held ransom and on a wild goose-chase for bitcoin. Ah, the wonders of the mkt economy. But I digress
In continuing to play the field of producers, I settled on a Xing Hai brick from Bulang, which the seller says was comprised of 3-5 grade leaves and possesses “some smokiness” that dissipates after the fifth infusion. Ahem. Xing Hai started up in the early part of the century and won the coveted “Pu’er King” (ripe) award at the Annual International Tea Expo in Guan Dong.
As with many raw bricks you need a chisel to break the leaves apart. I threw about 6g of shavings into my 120ml gaiwan and got to werk, infusing for about 20s the first time and aroud 15 the next few infusions. The liquor is a solid goldenrod. The broth, true to the sellers confessions, is thick. The taste is true Bulang: in your face big instruments played loudly in a French cafe where everyone chain smokes… and then they smoke some more. This is the smokiest offering I’ve ever had. It doesn’t drown out the pronounced sweetness, but it certainly doesn’t play second saxophone either. The astringency, of which there is a bit, comes as a welcome counterpoint to such a voluble ensemble. Ten infusions in the smoke still lingered, even as the liquor faded to a pale yellow. This brick is a real contrast, if a bit jarring, to the Jing-mai, Xi-gui, and Yi-bang I’ve been gulping down of late. Anyone into lapsang suchong would love this is my guess.

My stomach has been bothering me so I’m having my Misty Peaks Pu’erh tea this morning. Not that I need an excuse to have it. It is one of the best shengs I have.

It just got me wondering…I was thinking of this tea I had in a restaurant that was jasmine scented but I think was a pu’erh. I’d really like to find a raw pu’erh that is jasmine or osmanthus scented. Not flavoured or anything artificial. Just naturally scented with the flowers. I went looking but I didn’t find anything. I came across those mini tuo cha cakes but I’ve had those before and they seem to have flavouring added. Anyone know of good qualily raw pu’erh that is naturally scented?

2007 rongzhen Nannuo silver tip from puerhshop via a friends sample parcel.
I love this one. It’s still got kinda an awkward first couple steeps I found with my gaiwan it was more apparent but within the first 4 it starts to gain a little less “in your face fruit” and I’m tasting a pronounced sweetness, with rounded general sheng taste (probably from the other oils my zishi has absorbed).

There was a very pleasant minty huigan. The flavor lacked any woody or smokey aromas that some sheng seem to highlight.
I found the chaqi to be stimulating but I generally don’t use 9 grams of leaf so…
This was a great choice for my Saturday morning.