This sheng pu-erh is a special one. It has undoubtedly one of the best fragrances I got from a sheng pu-erh. I cannot tell you how much I loved this smell, if there was an equivalent of smelling ‘until the plate is clean’, I did this. It was just very, very pleasant. I got impressed like this before, with the smell of pu-erh (palace pu-erh, another sheng and yellow tea made out of pu-erh material). Their scent was strong in the golden cup. Whereas this tea is fragrant from the moment you steep it.
It is a smell, that is not easy to describe. Some tea people say the scent of the wild ancient tea trees. But it is not only that. There is a delicate floral dimension to that, and it coexists where you can taste a bit of earthy (old) and refreshing (new) notes. It has a nice hui gan and pleasing astringency which would get mellower as this pu-erh ages. For now, it aged for 5 years only.
The tea trees come from an altitude of 1500 meters, and they are around 300-400 years old. Not sure if anything can match this experience. Almost like going back in time. I wonder if anyone had a similar experience as I did drinking this sweet tea 300 years ago.
Thank you Chao Cha Tea for sharing this tea with me.
Tea Profile:
Type: Pu-erh (Dark)
Origin: Yunnan
Harvest time: 2015
Leaf colour: Tones of green with some light tips
Liquor colour: Dark yellow
Tea aroma: Wild flowers
Tea taste: Mellow with delicate floral and earthy notes. End with a hui gan that has a slightly astringent edge.
Steeping/brewing: Place 6 g of this tea in a teapot or gaiwan and add about 100-120 ml water at around 100°C. Rinse after 5 sec. Steep for 10 seconds for the second time and increase the consecutive steeping time by 10 seconds each time. You can steep this tea several times.
Shelf life: Can be aged (the older the better)