23 Tasting Notes
Nuts, cocoa, caramel, dry peppery wood, vanilla leaning on old books, subtle touch of beetroot. Active mouthfeel, leaves a short sweet aftertaste.
A very clean and pleasant liu bao with some complexity and good aftertaste. The material is clearly higher quality than most liu bao I’ve had before and it lacks the musty storage funk of older liu bao. Would be a great introduction to Liu Bao for fans of ripe pu-erh.
Flavors: Beetroot, Caramel, Cocoa, Nuts, Pepper, Vanilla, Woody
Distinctly herbal, vegetable broth, a little spicy, some lime, some oolongish florality. I’m not usually a big fan of non-Japanese green teas, but this one is excellent. Very distinctive, very unlike any mainland Bi Luo Chun I’ve had, that vivid raw herbal edge is something else. I recommend grandpa-style or pushed hard, it really benefits from strong long brews.
Flavors: Herbal, Lime, Spicy, Vegetable Broth
An alright daily drinker. Some fruit in the aroma, but the taste is more vegetal and slightly creamy. Decent upfront sweetness, some minerality, leaves a slight vegetal bitterness. Not particularly complex or interesting, but it does deliver a clean modern raw pu-erh with a decent caffeine punch at a good price. Just don’t expect it to taste like a 40$ cake!
Flavors: Creamy, Fruity, Mineral, Sweet, Vegetal
Really great, balanced young raw. It features an excellent aroma of very sweet apricots and flowers that gets better and more pronounced as the brews go on. Starts more vegetal, and becomes more fruity-sweet. Short, sharp medium bitterness, nice minerals, good complex mouthfeel. Leaves a strong refreshing effect in the mouth and throat and good energy.
Flavors: Apricot, Floral, Mineral, Pineapple, Savory, Sweet, Vegetal
A pretty basic semi-aged raw with not much complexity. The flavor is mostly woody with some prunes or plums, some upfront sweetness, touches of tree resin and minerality. Just a hint of smoke. Tastes a bit flat overall. Aftertaste is drying-astringent. Kinda meh.
Flavors: Astringent, Mineral, Prune, Resin, Woody