This was my first shou pu’erh and really my first pu’erh period. I have to say that as a (previously) heavy coffee drinker (shou changed my mind), this does it for me both in the morning when I need to enter consciousness, and throughout the day when I need a pick me up. I have brewed it in a 140 ml yixing and a porcelain gaiwan (60 and 150 ml), and wow, the yixing really rounds the edges of this shou nicely.

The early steepings are a deep brown/ black color which I thoroughly enjoy. There is a nice, smooth sweetness that isn’t too much complemented by a very slight touch of bitterness/ astringency as it rolls back on the tongue. The first steeping is nice, but the second is dynamite. Really rich and creamy.

Steeps 4-6 or so lighten up a bit and give way to a smooth, thick mouth feel. Any astringency seems to drop off allowing the sweet, almost honey-like sweetness to shine through. I love these steeps.

Steeps 7-10 or 12 are just delicious, period. The consistency is incredible. It’s like drinking diluted honey. The flavor is maintained nicely throughout, and I had a hard time “stopping” this tea from giving back. It is a pleasure to drink in the late steeps.

I prefer this from the Yixing over the gaiwan, but alas, my yixing is big enough that I can really only handle two steeps at a time! How could I solve this problem? Oh yeah, I ordered a 60ml Jian Shui from Crimson Lotus Tea!

This is my first of, Lord willing, many comments on great leaf! I’m excited to be apart of such a community!

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