70
drank Wild Purple Bud Puer by Wild Tea Qi
306 tasting notes

These purple buds remind me somewhat of Ya Bao in their appearance, though they are smaller and less downy and plush, much more dry and crispy, and of course a deep reddish purple color. After sitting them in a preheated gongfu style teapot they smell quite strongly of mesquite smoke. The first infusion is a pale yellow and the liquor smells like wood, smoke, and black pepper. In fact, if you blindfolded me and had me smell this I might think I was smelling jerky.

The flavor of this tea is a lot more rich than I expected. I was expecting a mouthful of sawdust, to be honest, but this flavor is rather savory. It’s mostly a woody flavor but it has a strong umami component to it that I did not expect and there are the faintest hints of persimmon in the background.

On the second infusion there is a slight sugary sweetness and the flavor is woody with a savory vegetable broth background to it. Unsurprisingly, the taste has many similarities with Ya Bao teas, though much more woody and savory compared to any Ya Bao I’ve had, as those tend to be woody but more light and sweet.

The third infusion is a more visible yellow now, and flavor-wise it is about the same as the second infusion. The fourth infusion is a little more sweet and mellow. This would be a really calming tea for people who like predominantly woody flavors. For me, this is not the type of tea I would drink other than when offered to me. The texture of it is juicy and quenching at first, but leaves a bit of a dry feeling in the mouth at the end of the sip.

Flavors: Pepper, Smoke, Sweet, Umami, Wood

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 4 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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Bio

Hi there, fellow tea lovers.

My name’s Lion and I’m a Gongfu Cha practitioner, so I usually brew with a gaiwan for reviews unless there’s a more suitable brewing method, like using Japanese teawares for Japanese teas. I tend to stick to straight loose teas and scented teas in general, seldom dabbling in herbal and flavored teas. My favorite tea is Kenyan Silver Needle.

Aside from tea, I’m a generally creative person. I love to cook, write fiction, draw, decorate, garden, and do just about anything creative I can get my paws on.

Animals are really important to me. I’m a lion at heart, and I strive to better understand, respect, and appreciate other animals as best as I can. I advocate for better stewardship of wildlife and captive animals. We’ve still got a lot to learn.

For a long time I rated every tea I tried, but these days I don’t rate them unless they’re exceptional and deserving of a high rating. Here’s my rating breakdown for my reviews with ratings:

0 = Unpalatable, harsh
25 = Unenjoyable
50 = I’m indifferent
75 = Enjoyable, average
90+ = The best, would buy more
100 = Incredible, a favorite

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Kansas City, USA

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