Ok, since I talked to a bunch of people… seems like quite a few have had a chance to drink it.
So, please post your comments for sample A here. I will have another entry for sample 1.
Please try to include the method of brewing along with your comments. I have noticed quite a large discrepency in brewing methods and it does have an effect on taste. If you don’t have a Xanga account… I think it is now possible to post without one?
22 responses so far ↓
exstns // May 26, 2007 at 10:41 am |
Sample A
The tasting was done late in the evening at my workplace with crappy water-cooler water and a gaiwan. The tea leaves smelled great, however there was this weird milky smell coming from the envelope and the sample bags. I decided to ignore it and get on with the tasting. A quick 30 second wash and off I go.
Inf. 1 (30s) The tea gave out a slight amber color without much of a smell to it. The liquor came out to be quite muddy and not very clear, however it did go down rather smoothly. Some astringency and a bit of bitterness, but nothing overwhelming. A nice tingling sensation down the throat after a few minutes. The tea seems to have a few years to it, perhaps 5 or so.
Inf. 2(15s) The tea starts to give out a bit of a familiar herbal taste and some sweetness. The color remains the same. A slight hit to the back of my head and the overflowing milky smell from the envelope start to mix in together and are getting me a bit dizzy. This tea definitely has a strong qi, although the fact that I didn’t eat anything all day is probably magnifying the effect a bit. My lips are starting to get numb and my mouth is coated with saliva. The tea starts to taste a bit fruity and the tingling sensation down the throat is increasing. My nose cleared up all of a sudden.
Inf. 3(30s) My head is still spinning from the previous infusion. The color of the liquor remains the same however it’s getting harder and harder for me to taste this tea. My taste buds have gotten numb for some reason, so all that I can do now is pretty much just to judge it by its feel. It feels similar to the previous infusion, except for that qi is getting much strong, so strong actually that my fingers are now shaking.
Inf. 4(35s) The liquor remains a bit muddy and the color became a bit lighter. My body is starting to sweat and my handwriting is getting sloppier thanks to the shaking hands. Also my hearing just cleared up. The tea itself is getting fruitier and is losing some of its bitterness and smoothness. I think I have to take a break now. The qi is overflowing me and my hands are shaking too much to be able to write something readable.
Inf. 5(45s) After a 30 minute break I’m back to tasting this thing. To liquor brewed up a bit lighter this time, light orange color with yellow undertones. Fruitiness is a more evident now and the tea is not as harsh. The liquor is still thick and is getting sweeter. Other than that there isn’t much of a change.
Inf. 6(1 min) Similar to infusion 5, accept for the weakening qi. The tea now starts to taste more like rock sugar water.
Inf. 7 + More sugar water.
The tea itself did not really last long, however it did give out a very strong qi and was rather smooth. I’m definitely satisfies with this sample and am wondering what is it and where can I get some.
Anonymous // May 26, 2007 at 12:50 pm |
Sample: 5g in 120 ml gaiwan
Dry leaves: Dark green and brown, with a few stems. Hairy leaves. Very nice looking. Not very tightly compressed.
Rinses: 30s, 15s, 2 min interval
Wet leaves after rinsing: Aroma of enticing spicy/woody flavors. Something seems to indicate to me based on the wet smell and color that this is somewhat aged. Three to five years is my guess right now.
1st infusion – 20s:
Wet leaves still smell like sort of a spicy, smoky fire. Perhaps this is younger than I thought? Dark green and brown leaves which split almost immediately apart from the chunk of tea have expanded to a size impressive for the loose compression I noted in the dry leaves. Very long finish down the back of the throat. Little bitterness to begin with becomes more noticeable as I continue to drink. Deep and long sweet aftertaste indicates to me this is a great tea for aging more. Astringency starts to coat my mouth as I drink more and gives me that “thirsty” feeling. Odd, almost oolong-like roasted notes towards the end.
2nd infusion – 15s:
Same deep amber color as the first infusion. First reaction is that this is very THICK and potent. Lighter flavors, but more noticeable bitterness. Deeper and lighter flavors are showing up this time. This is a more “mature” infusion than the first. Woody hints come forward to hint at something darker in store for me in the later infusions. Initial bitterness is fading more quickly after a sip. Sweating and jittery. I had to stop for a while at this point.
3rd infusion – 20s:
Bitterness almost entirely gone. Replaced by something bready? yeasty? Something a little on the thicker and darker side of flavor. Getting a bit of vegetable protein like a Li-Shan oolong. Very sweet and noticeable lingering aftertaste. Tea has evolved thusly: Bitter -> Bready -> Woody -> Sweet.
4th and onward – 30s, 45s, 60s, etc …
More of the same, just diminishing. Mellower, maybe a little MALTY? Interesting. Aftertaste still very prominent. Had a bit of spicy food just before one of the infusions, the tea blended nearly perfectly with the lingering hot flavors in my mouth. I am a little disappointed that some of the earlier deepness of flavor has diminished too quickly. Perhaps I should have tried different brewing parameters, but the other half of this sample is going to Walter for his own notes. Pity. I’d like to try it again.
Summary
Would I buy this? Yes. And I’d probably drink it now, and regret it 10 years later, if I only bought one or two cakes. I don’t know if I can say any more about how much I like it, because to me that’s the best determination. I won’t put an arbitrary “rating” on it because that’s subjective based on everyone’s taste. I can say I like it, and that’s what you’ll get from me. What is it? 🙂
-buzz
ck2998 // May 26, 2007 at 12:51 pm |
I used a gongfu cha method of brewing with a Zi Sha teapot. 2 quick rinses of 10s before the 1st infusion.
Started with a 10 second infusion, with subsequent lengthening of infusion time of about 10s with each brew.
The colour is yellow-orange, certainly darker than sample 1. Its probably a few years older than sample 1.
There is little astringency. It has a refreshing woody taste, which is most apparent from the 2nd to 5 th infusion. It leaves a pleasant minty after-effect at the back of the throat.
kibi_kibi // May 26, 2007 at 4:32 pm |
Actual tasting notes
Sample “A”
This tea has been aged for a few years, the leaf is dark and relaxed, with a sweet smell but not too penetrating. Not many buds, most of the leaf is furry. Some stems (Dry leaf).
Smell from the leaf is not sweet, quite green, a touch bitter, a touch industrial. Grey feeling, somehow, with a slightly acidic ending. Not vibrant. (Rinse).
The liquor shows good clarity and exhibits a deeply orange colour with an outstanding thickness. I cannot sense any scent from the cup, though the pitcher shows an extremely sweet smell. The tea itself shows a lot of sweetness, with a reasonable set of aftertastes creating a predominantly sweet feeling. What is striking is that there is almost no bitterness or acidity in the tea, in this it reminds me of a Changtai factory “Yiwu” medium-sized cake I tasted a while back. It’s not a bad drink, but I can’t say I feel much energy from the tea and the aftertaste is a little too short (Inf. 1).
Similar thickness, a touch smoky, and not as sweet as before. A little pale, but some energy, quite calming. Nothing is poking out and saying hello, the tea is empty (Inf. 2).
Again similar, but now pine-like forest aromas are creeping in, ending sweet. The tea is lacking in strength (Inf. 3).
The energy is coming back, but it is still very week, I feel quite calm. The liquor has decreased in thickness, the taste is a little more enjoyable, some very slight tingling chilli-like feeling (Inf. 4).
Again the energy is a little increased, perhaps I’m getting used to the tea. Same clarity, less thickness again, similar forest smell. Seems to be a bit empty (Inf. 5).
Ends OK, as I will not persevere past this infusion (Inf. 6).
Some pretty thick buds and leaf, the colour is a little too dark. (Wet leaf).
Quality is average. Energy is low. Predominant aromas are sweet and forest. Drinkable but lacking in character (Conclusion).
Thoughts
Thinking over what I noted down, I think that this tea was perhaps a little too smooth (some people say pre-fermented) to be good in the future, it was lacking in character. Really, it also lacked strength and energy that we all look for in a Pu-erh. There are quite a few such Pu-erh around, they’re not bad per se, but really they must not be taken out of context. My parameters were a 65ml Yixing teapot, bottled mineral water was used, the infusion style was relatively medium, I didn’t note down the exact times.
-vl.
Anonymous // May 26, 2007 at 6:15 pm |
In summary:
Overall this sample was much more enjoyable than ‘1’. I could tell that it was still young (~4 years?), but it showed signs of having more/better aging than sample ‘1’. From the beginning it was VERY citrus-y and almost exclusively lemon-y at that. My girlfriend’s mother often makes sweet tea with lemon juice (I’m a southern boy at heart, I suppose) that has a rather distinct subtle flavor – this tea reminded me of that lemon hint almost exactly. It was very ‘juicy’ for lack of a better word and was very thirst quenching. A very pleasant experience indeed.
Full tasting notes here
sinacarroll // May 26, 2007 at 11:18 pm |
Sample A. This tea was brewed in Gaiwan with San Francisco Tap water with seasoned Bamboo charcoal to sweeten it. This tea was tasted side by side with Sample 1, and tasting notes refer to that sample.
5-6 grams used.
Dry Appearance: Larger leaves than 1, more light brown leaves (lower quality?), stemmy. Fragrance: sweet, strong, Bulang-y, definitely wild, woody, rough, smoky, alkaline. Ooh- Yellow dust is apparent on some of the leaves. Aged 3-4 years is my guess.
Rinse: immediate, didnt linger there. Water is darker in color than 1, it’s more golden and cloudy in color, more particulate, too. Spring picking? Fragrance: old wood, dull parchment paper, old books.
1st steeping: 10 seconds
Notes: Woodier, smpkier than 1, Bulang-y, but unexpectedly soft finish, wow, that’s nice going down.
2nd steeping: 15 seconds.
Notes: SMOOOTH!! 🙂 much better, soft, not too “interesting” or complex yet… I was expecting that. Maybe it’s yet to come in subsequent steepings. I’m very curious about this tea now. Has hints at Muscatel and at the bottom of the empty decanter, it smells spicy, like nutmeg and cinnamon, this is so drinkable! Hmm… so spicy = Xiaguan?….but it’s so “raw”…
3rd steeping: 5 sec
Aaaaah. Lovely! notes of sugarcane and bamboo along with more of the same woody notes and spice air of a finish. (At this point roommate walks in and opens a container of tunafish ?! – I need to move.) Damnit.
4th steeping: 5 seconds
Notes: I cant taste anything due to the tunafish. This is embarassing. I can tell however that the taste is lingering in my mouth. Maybe I’ll save these leaves for later… 🙁
sc
HobbesOxon // May 27, 2007 at 5:36 am |
I sense mischief.
Method: ~15cl Caledonian Springs @ 100C in 20cl shengpu pot; ~5g; 1 rinse
Dry leaf:
Hail to the stems. Longer, more whole leaves than its cousin. Even the tips are darkening. Sweet, pleasant.
10s, 15s, 30s:
A richer orange soup, more full than its cousin. Mint freshness in the lid- and leaf-scent. Good, sweet beidixiang, with a classically sugary lengxiang – a relief after recent torments.
The force is strong in this one, flooding my head and body. The gentle, sweet flavour is of dried fruits, with a hint of ku near the finish. Rather feminine, in fact.
It is an unusual pu’er, and it’s not immediately clear what it is. It is particularly fruity, and overall rather gentle and muted. A touch of ku near the end indcates that is, indeed, pu’er after all.
“The game’s afoot, Watson.”
In the name of experimentation, I push this tea in its third infusion to triple its expected duration. The result is amazingly muted. It’s rather like a tangy fruit juice, warmed up. We have entered the realm of bruise-oxidation or incomplete kill-green, methinks.
Wet leaves:
The game’s up, and all is clear. Had I seen the wet leaves initially, I would have said, “Someone’s been making dancong out of pu’er”, and this is the explanation of the muted flavour and fruity mixture. It is a blend of big, thick, tough leaves with large amounts of red oxidisation, and tiny wee leaves similarly on the turn.
Overall:
A novelty, and fun to drink before Mass. Potential for aging is almost zero, given its oxidation state. Package this in pink boxes and sell it in Whittards.
Mischief, indeed…
Anonymous // May 27, 2007 at 12:59 pm |
Gaiwan
15 sec rinse, 15, 20, 30, 40
cooling camphor scent on the wet leaves, soup has very good clarity. Seems to be aged a few years. a little spicy cayenne and some minerals beneath, and an unusually not unpleasent flavor of hot dog water. Durability could be better, considering the size of some of the very long attractive leaves.
MarshalN // May 27, 2007 at 1:06 pm |
From these notes, Ian… do you mean the tea died on you after 4? Or you only drank 4? How much tea do you use? I’d think both teas would at least last 6-7 infusions unless you use a tiny amount of tea….?
xcasper54x // May 27, 2007 at 4:03 pm |
Tasted twice. Once in a 100ml gaiwan with 6g of leaf, and once in a 130ml yixing teapot with 7g of leaf. Reddish/orange liquor. Aroma had varying notes of smoke, intense floral, and mushroom. The taste had varying notes of sweetness, fruitiness (apricot), bitterness, wood, and floral. Aftertaste was sweet and lingering. Liquor was nice and thick. Cha qi was mild (I still have some trouble detecting cha qi). This tea clearly has some (at least a couple) years on it, and is much more pleasant to drink than the other sample.
nobodyD // May 27, 2007 at 5:37 pm |
3.5g in 3 oz.; 5/20/07; gaiwan; leaf all in 1 thin piece, almost a sheet; 15s/1m, twice, at < boil (p.a.l.); chunk was still intact after rinses; Poland Spring water; 1st: 15s: waic; chunk starting to sep.; color light; lid and s.l. aromas typical “young raw Puerâ€; very little taste, no smoke; longer; 2nd: 25s: waic; color similar; better/fuller taste, not bad; still no smoke; could go even longer; 3rd: 45s: boil; color close to med.; slightly too long (or too hot) – has just the very slightest trace of edge; 4th: 45s: boil; color med.; decent, but a little muted compared to the lasts couple; 5th: 1m15s: color similar; boil; seems similar to 2nd; 6th: (after a break) 2m: boil; similar; In short, after these initial tastings, I thought “A” was the better tea to my taste; though what I would call a typical “non-smokey young raw Puer”, ‘A’ at least had a full taste and never got bitter on me.
However, I did get a chance to do a comparison tasting Sat.:
“Aâ€: 4g in 4 oz (120 ml) gaiwan; “1â€: 3g in 3 oz (90 ml) gaiwan; “Aâ€: 15s rinse, 1m rest, once; leaf mostly loose, w/maybe 1 or 2 small chunks;
“1â€: 10s/1m, once; leaf all loose;
Volvic water;
1st: 25s: water temp. as it cooled; “A†color darker – med.; “1†cooler med-light; “Aâ€: slightly stronger flavor, no edge; could go a little longer; “1â€: very little taste, though pleasant enough – def. go longer; 2nd: 15s: boil; both colors similar; â€Aâ€: taste similar – again, seems a very traditional “non-smoky young rawâ€; “1â€: slightly more taste than previous steep, and something of a “different†quality – can’t quite identify it, but interesting; again pleasant, no edge – not what I think of as a traditional young raw taste; 3rd: 40s: waic; colors similar; “Aâ€: taste similar; “1â€: similar, maybe even milder, but still has that “something different†aspect; 4th: 1m: boil; “A†color similar, still darker than “1â€, which is slightly darker than previously; “Aâ€: taste similar; “1â€: taste similar; 5th: 1.5m: waic; colors similar; “Aâ€: similar, maybe slightly milder; “1â€: fairly similar, but seems to have lost that “something extra†aspect – too bad; 6th: 2m: boil; color similar, though “I†is maybe a little lighter than before; “Aâ€: taste similar – still going strong; “1â€: fading fast – not much at all;
In short, this tasting of “A” seemed exactly the same as my previous tasting. However, this tasting of “1” was quite different, and better – no touchiness, no bitterness, and it had this “something extra” to the taste that I can’t quite put my finger on and that I haven’t seen in any young raw Puer I’ve tried; I can’t explain why this second tasting of “1” was so much different from the first one, as the steeping wasn’t that much different; the only possible difference I can think of was using the Volvic instead of my usual Poland Spring, but I have never so far seen the water make that much difference in my steepings of various teas.
Sorry for the terseness – this is from my personal notes, and really aren’t very useful to anyone else.
D.
Anonymous // May 27, 2007 at 11:03 pm |
i drank a 3 or 4 more than that, increasing each time, but not counting out the seconds. But i knew by the 5th or 6th that I was not going to taste anything new. It went only a little longer than the other, which was surprising, given the differences in leaf grade. I wish I sould give an exact leaf amount, but I have no scale. It was as close to half of each as I could come by sight alone. Yet to taste the rest. May do tommorow, and elaborate on my notes, which were brief to say the least. My allergies have been flaring up as of late, making smelling, tasting, and feeling more of a challenge than usual
wisdom_sun // May 28, 2007 at 6:09 am |
The dry leaves are loose and large in size; the amount of leaves used (8g) appears to be bulkier than other Puerhs for the same mass. The nose is aromatic, and in a “rounder” way that is more typical of slightly-aged leaves.
A gaiwan (90 ml) is used. Water is triple-filtered tap freshly heated to a rolling boil. One rinse. Brewing time ranges from 10s to 25s.
The first brew yields a remarkably dark chestnut liquor that is fragrant, almost flowery. It is slightly cloudy. It tastes woody but slightly sweet, followed by the astringency one finds in a newer Puerh. It then converts to a sweet after-taste, as well as a deep-reaching after-effect (“qi?”).
The following brews yield lighter-colored liquors which nevertheless carry quite a punch. Even as the astringency elbows its way to center-stage, the other flavors (is that camphor that I detected?) manage to show through and hint at their presence. It is still quite drinkable after 5 to 6 brews, showing off much energy and robustness; overall, however, it tends toward smoothness instead of vibrancy.
The spent leaves are noticeably larger and intact. There are many significantly darker brown leaves among the green ones. They smell full and fruity.
My guess is that these leaves are from arbor trees, possibly even of the Yiwu locale. They are slightly-aged (3 to 4 years), probably having been helped along by pre-fermentation (i.e., either leaves from multiple years have been used or the initial green-killing was let up) to come off as being more mature. Richer and rounder, this sheng Puerh could yield quite a drinkable tea with some ageing. On a scale of 10, I am inclined to rate it a 6>6: More than passable when tasted (6/10), with interesting attributes, and possibly on its way to becoming more than passable with age (6/10). It would have been a 6>7 were it not for the possible pre-fermentation.
Anonymous // May 28, 2007 at 3:30 pm |
The leaves were a bit darkening, not an aged tea, but probably 3-5 years old. The dry leaves had only very faint smell, but it was prety pleasant.
Brewing parameters : 150 ml gaiwan, half of the sample, filtered tap water (I do not use mineral water, because throwing away the plastic bottles makes me feel very very unecological)
Well, the tea was really a ride. Have to revisit it soon, because, not like the otrher reviewers, the tea had a characteristic of “smoke smoke smoke”.
From the wet leaves I smelled even nicotine, or, as you can say, cigarettes.
And the smell of infusion was something between bacon, smoke… well, those two characteristics was dominating.
I found some similarities between this tea and lapsang-souchong.
On the other side, the aftertaste was good and lasted long. Pretty strong tea, I have to say.
But would I buy it ? No, I really do not liked it’s smell. But since the other qualities, this tea can age well… but maybe not.
MarshalN // May 28, 2007 at 10:26 pm |
There were two people who told me it’s very smokey, but nobody else picked up on the smoke, which is really odd. I sort of wonder if one part of the cake was damaged by smoke that way.
iwii // May 29, 2007 at 3:57 am |
Sorry, I returned home yesterday only and found the samples. I am not very good at describing what a tea is tasting, so I’ll focus on the impression.
MarshalN already knows my brewing time is similar to his own one (short infusions). I think I am probably using less leaves though.
I tasted both samples side by side. With something like 15(rinse),5,5,5,7,10,12 and so on.
I went rather far in the infusions, but not up to the full potential of the teas. I’ll do that again later and complete the reviews if needed, but I wanted to give quick comments fast, since I am late already.
Sample A, I have not much to say about this. This is an OK tea, but not much more. I has aged a bit. Difficult to say how much years since storage conditions are really paramount, but I do not think it is prior to 2000.
The tea is sweet, with some thickness. I do not like the way it hits the throat. It is just one dimensional. It made me wait for a hit of smoke, which never came. Some huigan, but not much.
I promised I would be honest: I think this is a boring tea. It is probably not the right time to sample it either, It lacks some strength you can find in young teas, but still has not benefited from aging. I do not think it will be a great candidate for further aging though.
I think the already boring YCH 2005 could be a bit like that in a few years. Kibi Kibi mentioned a 2001 Changtai Yiwu cake, and this is pretty funny, but it also reminds me a bit of a 2001 cake which is not Changtai, but looking a bit like one. I am really wondering if we are not talking about the same cake.
Anonymous // May 29, 2007 at 2:05 pm |
Initial leaf quality seemed pretty good. Decent sized mostly whole leaves/buds, nice hairy coat.
Initial smell is a bit smokey, but more of a hardwood/hot fire than the pine smell, which was nice.
2x 40 sec rinses.
1st infusion: 30 secs
Brew is fairly dark, with good clarity. Too dark to be very recent vintage, maybe a little wet stored, since it’s darkish, but the smoke has not dissapated?
Initial flavor is woody, with a nice thick/wet mouth coating. Goes down smooth, with an interesting set of flavors. Tastes more refined than sample 1, with more character and complexity.
2nd infusion: 30 sec
A bit more medicinal flavor… kinda like… those red chinese dates, that is not unpleasant. A bit of tongue buzz starting, on the sides and back of the tongue.
3rd infusion: 30 secs
Still a bit of that red date flavor, but moving toward woody.. like cedar, and spice. Sweeter finish.
4th infusion: 40 secs
Flavor has moved to more neutral mellow, and going toward sweet water
Same for the next 4 infusions.
I liked this one, and wouldn’t mind having some of this to store if the price wasn’t too bad. I like that the flavors were more complex, and it had a decent buzz to it.
Heatwaves // May 29, 2007 at 3:32 pm |
I brewed 4 grams in 6 ounces of boiling (filtered) water. Prior to consuming I gave each tea two 10-second washes. For each infusion, I brewed each sample the same way and served them in 3 ounce cups for myself and my wife.
The first infusion was brewed for 30 seconds. The liquor of “A” was much darker and more amber than the other sample. “A” gave off a heavily woodsy and earthy aroma and flavor. My wife described the aroma as “stinky black eyed peas”.
The second steep was infused for the same amount of time. “A” had notable smoky notes that were absent from the first infusion.
The third and fourth infusions were a little longer, about 35 seconds. Still smoky with some mild spiciness, particularly in the aftertaste.
The sample developed a neutral aroma by infusion five (40 seconds), but still maintained its overall smokiness.
At my final infusion (#6) of 45 seconds, “A” was holding strong, but was now slightly bitter.
I didn’t continue with any further infusions because I was starting to feel a bit woozy from both of the teas.
Upon examining the leaves at the conclusion, I examine both samples leaves. Although both were similar in size, “A” was more intact overall, but some of “A’s” leaves appeared to be burnt. Perhaps this accounted for some of the smokiness I detected?
Phyllo // May 30, 2007 at 4:43 am |
Thanks Marshaln! Here is a link to my tasting notes (uncensored and before reading others’ opinions above):
http://phyllsheng.blogspot.com/2007/05/two-puer-samples-from-marshaln.html
Anonymous // May 31, 2007 at 2:34 pm |
Sorry for posting this one so late.
Anyway
Brewing, same as sample 1 – 100ml gaiwan, filtered scottish tap water, boiling water, 1 rinse, 5s,5s,5s,10s,10s…….
Looks and smells to have a few more years under it’s belt than the other sample, it also tastes as if it has been perhaps slightly wet stored, this is pure conjecture as i’ve never had wet storage tea. I think I’m getting this impression due to the real lack of bitterness and not enough years to justify it. It also has a rather pleasing sweetness in both scent and taste.
Far more pleasant to drink than sample 1.
The tea again did not strike me as paticularly strong. It was quite smooth and I drank until it gave up, at least 15 infusions.
I know next to nothing about aging tea save for what I’ve read online but my immediate impression was that this is something I would buy to drink currently and would not be something I would buy for my cupboard. I would quite like to have some more of this both due to being rather pleasant and slighly puzzling taste.
I’m looking forward to tasting the rest of this sample whilst reading over the notes in thread.
Thanks again marshal and sorry for the late reply.
Proinsias
Nadim123 // June 1, 2007 at 10:54 am |
These are notes taken on the heat of the moment, as I was tasting A. I’ll copy them on your blog. I will also read the other comments, which I haven’t read yet. I saw you’ve unmasked A in your last post. I haven’t read it. I’ll write something else after I’ve seen what other people thought of the tea.
6g in 10cl Gaiwan. 10, 10, 10, 15, 20, 25.
Dry leaves look a bit aged/brownish. A few buds – most of them are yellow, like the ones you would see on a dian hong; I’ve rarely seen this. Smell is discreet, but I don’t expect much on that side after two weeks in an envelope.
Smell of the wet leaves is interesting. I guess this tea might be a few years old. I don’t think it is from 2006, at least. The smell is a bit pungent (âcre en français, I don’t know if pungent is the exact translation).
Inf. 1 – A bit watery. Something is a bit off : there is something slightly ricey in this opening infusion. Tongue is starting to dry. Strangely enough, there is a very clear aftertaste. If only my tongue wasn’t so dry….
Inf. 2 – More texture, but still not very thick. Bitterness is starting to appear. Tongue is very dry. The off taste I detected is still there but in the background now. I’d would very much like to know how old this thing is. I would bet on 2004/3, but I could be very wrong. I’m still pleased by the aftertaste which is slightly fruity – the liquor, in the mouth, has a slightly vegetal taste I don’t really care for.
Inf. 3 – As it often happens, the tea’s identity is coming out in inf.3. Bitterness is now very strong. The elusive taste is now coming forward, amplified. You can feel it on the back of your tongue. Dryness is now extending to my throat. This infusion has a bit more texture,but I still find that it lacks thickness. The after taste has a lively presence once the bitterness is gone.
Inf. 4 – Less intense than 3. Still bitter. The vegetal taste I noticed in 2 is back. It is ‘beany’, and very present.
Following infusions : bitterness started to decline, while the vegetal taste was increasing.
Overall : I wonder if there is a relationship between the lack of thickness of the tea and its bitterness. This tea is very dry, it has little roundness. I found the aftertaste very enjoyable. I also wonder where the ‘off” taste comes from. Is it from the ziploc back, or something particular to this tea ?
Nadim
MarshalN’s Curated Samples | A Tea Addict's Journal // September 17, 2012 at 2:07 am |
[…] It’s a real drag – spending a lot of time, effort, and money. I did get feedback on both samples, but I felt the experience underwhelming and ultimately rather superficial, so I never did […]