Date drunk: 2023 Jan 14
- 5g in 100ml gaiwan [[Gongfu brewing]]. Filtered water in stainless steel kettle with bamboo charcoal.
- Rinsed once but wet leaf smelled fishy so I had to rinse a second time. Wet leaf now has smell of baked bread.
- 1st infusion (100˚C, 0:15)
- Liquor smells slightly fishy. I guess even neglectful ageing in Singapore counts as “wet storage”. Texture feels flat (or sharp?), slightly metallic flavour. Do not like.
- Rating: 50
- 2nd infusion (95˚C, 0:15)
- Ah, much better. I’m getting a slightly rounder body now, a tinge of sweetness on my tongue. Fleeting hints of dark chocolate and mushroom. Still a bit of that flat/sharp texture that I dislike though (leather?).
- Rating: 70
- 3rd infusion (99˚C, 0:20)
- Far stronger aroma of baked bread now, a bit of roasting coffee – promising.
- Liquor tastes more chocolatey and full-bodied now. It’s the classic ripe pu-er (chocolatey, mushroomy, baking brown bread) but with a touch more floral and fruity quality. This tea has finally hit its stride! Again, still that flatness in the aftertaste which is quite disappointing. But it pairs well with my oatmeal with bananas and dried cherries; I think drinking this tea together with fruit is very nice.
- Rating: 82
- 4th infusion (100˚C, 0:30)
- Rating: 81
- 5th infusion (100˚C, 0:45)
- Ah finally – a smooth, full-bodied infusion! No more flat or metallic taste. This is wonderful when drunk warm.
- Rating: 87
Verdict: Now looking back on my glowing (yet lacking-in-concrete-notes) review from 2020, I have no idea whether I just stored / aged this poorly or if my tastes have evolved. Whatever the case, I simply did not find this tea very complex nor enjoyable today. I might try this in an Yixing / Jianshui clay pot next time. Even at 6.5 years of age, it needs something to even it out a bit to make it more drinkable for me.
Rating: 74
Flavors: Bread, Dark Chocolate, Fishy, Floral, Fruity, Metallic, Mushrooms
