15 Tasting Notes
Maybe my palate still needs developing, but I didn’t like this as much as others have said, and certainly not as much as the YS 2012 Yong De Blue.
For the price it’s a good daily drinking Ripe. I quite like fermentation flavour, which is there, but not fishy. It’s certainly earthy with forest floor notes, and some sweetness comes through more after steep 4. For me it weakened after steep 5 with only 7.5g leaf in a 100ml Gaiwan, but was better with 9g. Maybe it doesn’t need 2 rinses.
Preparation
I can see why some people rave about this tea. I think “pure” is an excellent descriptor. Personally i’d rather have the sweetness of the YS 2015 Wu Liang or the oiliness and fruit flavours of 2014 Gua Feng Zhai for the price, but it’s still excellent.
Initially it starts quite light, with mild sweetness and astringency in nice balance. A honeyed floral sweetness is noticeable by steep 3, and also the astringency builds without being overpowering. It is both VERY refreshing, but also with a thick mouthfeel and long, sappy aftertaste, with some umami. The parallel lines of sweetness and astringency continue towards the 8th steep, with some vegetal notes too. I felt it needed big brews after than to keep the flavour profile going, but it did.
8g 2 rinses 10min rest, steeps 10 , 10, 15, 10, 15, 20, 25, 40, 60, 180
Flavors: Floral, Honey
Preparation
This was my first full Sheng Cake, and i’m really pleased with it. Massive sweetness with little astringency has made it a hit with my Puerh uninitiated friends too.
2 washes, then steeped (sec) 5,5,10,10,10,15,15,20,20,25 (still going!)
There is a mild and pleasant initial astringency, and some herbal notes (sage). Over the steeps the Huigan and also a savoury vegetal note (green beans) build. It feels kind of creamy when cooling down. By about steep 6 the stone fruit hits, crystallising into a familiar apricot by steep 7. I agree a slight aniseed note.
Flavors: Apricot, Green Beans, Sage
Preparation
Luxurious! Really very good Loose Shou from the good people at Jing. I used 10g sample in 100ml Gaiwan, 1 rinse. Steeps: 20, 20, 30, 35, 45, 75, 100, 150, 210 sec.
This nicely aged Shou certainly didn’t have any suggestion of fermentation notes but was mellow, with the flavours building through the steeps, and later very refreshing. Not heavy at all. Initially lovely Pine wood and sweetness, also a certain juiciness about the mouthfeel. Thyme aromatics lingered on 2nd steep, by 3rd steep felt more earthy, like Beetroot. Sweetness consistent up til ~8th steep, where started to fade. Best Shou I’ve tried- better than YS CNNP 1999, and at £6/ 50g, affordable for everyday luxury!
Flavors: Pine, Thyme, Wood
Preparation
This was the first Dian Hong I tried, and it really got me hooked on Chinese Tea. The richness beats any Assam in my book. I was not expecting the complexity and caramel notes. Sweeter than Canton Tea Co’s offering- a treat. I found 3.5min was the best balance of sweetness and robust flavour.
Preparation
I was surprised to see Jing offering pure Assam as their flagship Breakfast Tea, but it didn’t disappoint. A really robust, malty Assam that really hit the spot. I didn’t detect much complexity, but what it did was superbly executed.
Preparation
A great Keemun and a great Breakfast Tea. Initially I tried it with just 1 tsp of leaf and the tea was appetising with a slight smokey edge. When I upped the leaf to 1 tbsp, this was an intense, full throated cuppa with woodsy, almost ripe Pu’erh notes. It brews up quick in 2min on the first steep. I sipped my way through 250g of this excellent tea.
Flavors: Dark Wood, Smoke
Preparation
The Chilli hit with this Teapigs tea is a really great twist on Chai. Sometimes I find the spices in Chai a bit too mellow- this pepps them up without burning your mouth, or any other after-effects. Works really well as a Chai Latte too- I’d recommend the Teapigs Latte mug/ frother set
Preparation
Being newer to Pu’erh, I did’t find as much complexity as others, but I thought this was a big powerful young Sheng. It was all a bit much for my mate!
The wet leaves smelt deep and savory. 1st steep it had an oily mouthfeel, initially on the palate a deep hay note and some bitterness. There was apricot fruitiness and later sweetness. 2nd steep : opening up with more mild pleasant bitterness and later vegetal sweetness, broad beans. 3rd steep more oily sweetness starting to come thru early and by steep 5 it was somewhat sweeter, with huigan that just kept on coming. I went for a big steep for no 9: sweet and bitter, cloying with some oily character left, long aftertaste.
8g gaiwan 2 rinses & 10min rest. Steeps (sec): 10; 10:15 : 15: 25 : 30 :45 45 :90 : 80 : 90: 90
Almost nothing is like 2012 Yongde Blue! But the Yongde Blue snake 2013 is very similar, more affordable (now) and actually steeps out longer
i’ve tried a yongde. (2013 Yunnan Sourcing Yong De Blue Label Ripe Pu-erh tea cake) i was not too fond of it. although “2013 YUNNAN SOURCING BLUE SNAKE CHA TOU RIPE PU-ERH TEA BRICK” is better and has the same wrapper IMHO.
as for this tea, io never tried it :(