4 Tasting Notes

100

2003-2005 Hong TaiChang Ripe tea
The Initial smell of this tea was a bit off-putting as it smelt moldy. I decided to do two quick washes. The first steep that I drunk was earthy and very smooth. The tea seemed really thin to me, but it was also sweet. There were bits of mushroom tastes and perhaps a delicious wood flavor. I also believe there was a blonde hair in the piece of the tea. Oh well. The main thing that I really noticed about this tea, was that the lump of tea was really compressed through the first 5 steeps as none of the tea broke apart! I have not had a tea so far that did this. After the seventh steep the tea finally started breaking apart, but only a few little bits. I believe that I finally stopped drinking this after about the 12th steep or so, as I really lost track of how many times I poured water in the Gaiwan.
After all was said and done, I inspected the leaves and discovered that there was still some actual dry spots in the actual tea lump! This too was a first and it was really amazing. A good tea that would make a good daily drinker.

Flavors: Earth, Mushrooms, Wood

mrmopar

Presents and treasures! Find them in puerh all the time.

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99

A delicious tea! The dry leaves smelled like a typical black tea. Right off the bat from the first steep this was a sweet tea with tastes of honey and simply put it was sweet and delicious. The tea was very smooth and had a thick and great mouth feel to it. The second steep I wasn’t paying close attention to what I was doing and left the leaves perhaps a bit too long in the Gaiwan. As such the steep was a bit astringent but was still very forgiving. I drank this steep, but was thinking that I had ruined a session. Alas I had a bit of good luck with it, as the next steep was right back where it should have been. I got a total of 7 steeps plus a quick wash out of this tea, and that was the only bad part. If the tea had held out, I would probably still be drinking it now!

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88

After heating the Gaiwan and adding the tea, and letting it warm up as the water was re-heating, I noticed the smell of sticky rice, perhaps fresh popcorn.
The wash was a reddish amber color, clear and mostly clean (no little bits of tea).
After the wash the Pu-erh smelled a bit like wet earth.
1st Steep was about 10 seconds or so. With a dark red, or brown color. It reminded me of dark honey.
It had a really mushroomy taste.
The second steep the tea was pretty well broken up. This steep the color was really dark almost purple. I was reminded of dark amber ale.
It was during this steep that I noticed the taste of the sticky rice herb took front stage! The Pu-erh taste was still there, albeit very muted in the background.
The tea tasted like a nice creamy mushroom soup. I was thinking the whole time of rice and mushrooms.
The 3rd steep I was thinking that there was a hint of tortilla chips. Weird I know.
The 4th through 8th steeps were mostly the same as the 2nd and 3rd. That’s to say the Pu-erh taste was mostly muted in the background.
This Pu-erh is not bad at all. It’s a bit of a change and to me seems more like a novelty item than a serious Pu head’s tea.

Flavors: Rice

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 0 min, 15 sec

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88

As this is my first time actually writing about tasting tea, I can’t say a whole lot. I am far too much of a tea novice to describe this as some of you could. I can say that this Pu-erh is very delicious. This tea came as a sample in my first YS order. I initially had way too much tea in the travel Gaiwan. I did a flash wash and flash steeped the first 7 or 8 brews. It has a wonderful earthiness to it, which I guess one could say about many Pu-erh’s.
My other experiences with Pu-erh have been with older ones, and as such I believe this tee needs a few more years before it will be ready to (at least for me) to drink. Of course it could have to do with the first steep being really strong, and I may have kind of ruined my ability to thoroughly enjoy the tea. All-in-All it was a good tea, and it was a nice surprise to my order.

Flavors: Earth, Heavy

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 3 g

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Bio

I’m new here. Trying to learn the art of Gongfu Cha.
About 3 years ago, I saw a video on YouTube about this Way of Tea, and I really wanted to try it. I started buying some teas, from one of those chain tea stores, here in Germany. You know the one’s with who knows what in their teas? But as could be expected I was disappointed. Then one day I took a risk and bought a Menghai 7572 off of Ebay. About a month later this Beeng showed up, at my door, and I sort of fell in love. I tried to tell my family about how awesome this tea stuff is, and of course most everyone didn’t understand and thought perhaps I’ve slipped off the deep end.
I showed a former employer’s wife who just happened to be Chinese, pictures of a Gaiwan that I had just bought, and she started talking to me all about Chinese teas. She told me that everyone drinks tea, and that it is really healthy for you. She also told me she drinks Pu-erh because it helps her with her stomach. The next day she brought a 2006 Long Yuan Hao Beeng into the office and just gave it to me like it was some candy, and said here try this one. That’s when I became addicted. I mean this stuff had some sort of magic inside it, or perhaps it was drugs. I don’t know, all I do know is that I am hooked on Pu-erh.

Location

Germany

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