Far Wenwa

Jinggu material from older wild trees forms the basis for this sheng brick. An average looking brick – some whole tea leaves but heavy on the stems and pieces. Made by a former CNNP “feeder” factory. JingGu White Dragon Tea Industry (formerly known as Yunnan Jinggu Tea Mill) was founded in 1958 and used to be one of the six CNNP manufacturer with code name “5”. At the end of 2003, it was changed to a privately owned enterprise JingGu White Dragon Tea Industry. Jinggu White Dragon Tea is sometimes referred to as Jinggu BaiLong Tea Factory because the Jinggu area is known for one particular tea varietal – Da Bai Hao.
The aroma is sweet and appealing and its taste is thick and mellow. There are definite tones of honey with an aggressive pleasant bitter component. There are also hints of tobacco in the background. In later infusions, overripe fruit and honey are present. The taste seems to permeate the mouth and offers a distinctive lingering aftertaste. The session provided a refreshing and slightly chilling effect and the bitterness is really quite minimal as the sweeter flavors dominate. Overall, this is full in taste and a nicely balanced sheng with a few years of aging. The tea is appealing in its power and tendency to tickle the tongue and linger in the mouth and throat. Good amount of character with a non-threatening bitterness to offer more complexity.

Spent time yesterday with this Blue Mark Zhongcha. This is a nice tea with good age behind it. Loosely pressed so it is easy to work with. Leaves offer a thick, sweet, viscous tea liquor with good mouth action and a lingering aftertaste. A dark sweetness dominates the flavor profile but the aging process has also introduced a hearty woody base – the combination is very appealing and offers a warm and spicy presence. The true character of “old tea” is undeniable.

New acquisition from an experienced collector/private tea seller of aged pu’er. The dry leaf smells aged and nutty. Easy to pick off good-sized whole leaves for brewing. Clear orange colored tea soup with a tiny bit of cloudiness in the first two steepings but this cloudiness disappears after that. Lovely scents coming off the soup – somewhat sweet, a bit plummy and a little nutty. Smooth but full taste without bitterness. Appealing mouthfeel. I quickly begin to feel the tea – peaceful and relaxed. Nice longevity – 7 infusions so far; only up to 10 seconds; leaves have more to give. Lingering aftertaste to satisfy me until I continue tomorrow.