In rediscovering my love of tea, I decided to try one of the teas I first bought when I started my tea journey back in 2012. Big Leaf Sheng was my first try with raw pu’er and I loved it. It was a kick in the face of camphor and smoky goodness. I am interested to see how this has changed in the four years since I bought it.
1st Steep-30 seconds-
So much more mellow than I remember. Still has slight camphor and smoke but much calmer. More sedate. Less aggressive than I remember. Very little fruitiness.
2nd Steep-45 seconds-
There is the apple flavor. Big red apple. Crisp. This tea has matured well. It has become more sedate yet more complex. Just realized I am drinking 10 year old tea. That was one of 2012 Grace’s dreams.
3rd Steep-1 minute-
Camphor is back. Mixed with apple. So pleasant. More creaminess in this steep.
4th-1 minute 45 seconds
And there is the assertive tea that I love. A kick in the face of camphor and crisp apple. A bit of honey on the finish.
5th Steep-2 minutes
Apple and pear. Starting to mellow. It’s leaning more on the creamy side. Getting a bit of honey in there.
6th Steep- 2 minutes 30 seconds
Honey and a little bit of cream.Less fruity. Very smooth.
7th Steep-Overnight
I intended to brew this one for 3 minutes but I fell asleep and it brewed overnight. I drank this one iced while at work. Very fruity. Almost pineapple. Still smooth. I really do feel sad that I have to let this tea go.
Overall-I still love this tea. It has matured over the years in such a beautiful way. When I bought this cake it was full of punch.A little intimidating. But it has matured and calmed down. It’s less chaotic. More refined.
Flavors: Apple, Camphor, Cream, Honey, Mint, Pear, Smoke
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