6g of tea, gongfu, water just about boiling, two short rinses, then 5-10 second steeps. This came as part of an “intro to pu’er” set from Crimson Lotus. The first thing that really hits me is the aroma of the dry leaves. They smell delicious, like candy or fruit (mangos). Wet leaves have the same aroma, plus a note of tobacco. Light soup, looks like a roasted oolong. The aroma of this tea is amazing. This is unlike any other sheng I’ve tried: the aroma and the flavor don’t match up. You expect sweetness, but it’s not really there. The flavor is more smoke, pepper, tobacco, with a fair amount of bitterness.
EDIT: Drank this again a month later. Yes, there is sweetness. Plenty. I just couldn’t taste it before. Go figure.
Comments
The Bulang area of Yunnan is known for that bitter punch. This is one of the tamer Bulangs actually. :-) The dry aroma always reminds me of Fruit Loops cereal.
The Bulang area of Yunnan is known for that bitter punch. This is one of the tamer Bulangs actually. :-) The dry aroma always reminds me of Fruit Loops cereal.
OMG, Yes! That’s hilarious, it does smell like Fruit Loops. Here’s what drove me nuts: I was just drinking Vally Peak green tea from Mandala, which has the same aroma, but the flavor is as you would expect, sweet. That Bulang really threw me for a loop. Or, Fruit Loop, lol.