Favorite shu ever
I purposely waited to review this until I ordered more selfishly that should hint at it’s quality. Paul has earned my respect (and much of my income as a result) for his no BS pricing, descriptions and curation. This description is spot on I almost feel silly adding anything because it is so accurate. It is a 2014 production so it’s pile smell is still apparent I suggest two super long rinses and/or breaking up the nuggets prior. Once you get past the funk it has the taste and consistency of hot cocoa literally. I was immediately taken back to childhood sipping on swiss miss hot cocoa. I wanted to throw some marshmallows in my gaiwan and pretend it was a snow day. Later steeps reveal a sweet molasses dark richness that was paired with a thick syrupy body.
This is my first tea head nugget shu so I am not sure if this sweetness/ flavor profile is common but it was a welcome change from watery woodsy generic shu I am used to. Added kicker is the energy this bulang gives off had me humming all night long.
Flavors: Caramel, Cocoa, Molasses
Preparation
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OMG I need to try this! :D
I have a 2012 Menghai Dayi Laochatuo that I really love :) It reminds me of milk chocolate.
I am not a sweet/flavored tea kind of guy but this was a nice surprise, I think I will try different tea head shu nuggets soon. I saw yunnan sourcing has a bunch but just to be sure I bought a butt load of this stuff just in case.
Paul tells me he just bought the entire production. Thank goodness cause I’m not sure my nearly half kilo is gonna be enough.
LOL I will surely buy some every order, before I tried this I nearly gave up on shu. Strange I brought this over to a fellow tea drinkers (non-puer) house and of course it behaved differently. It had more of the wu dei in the initial 2 or 3 steeps but under my home conditions it was barely detectable within the first. I am a big advocate of cheap spring water I really do feel like brings out the best qualities while leaving nastier ones out only on hunch one of these days I will do a controlled experiment.
Soaking in cold water whilst the water boils is one way to remove a bit of the pile. Also you can just toss the first five steeps.
I think when I get my order i will let them air out in a jar as well, while we are on the subject this is my first tea head nugget shu, have you tried any others? I was eyeing the one from yunnan sourcing or even menghai
The older Menghai’s are pretty good. Get one at least 3 years old though.
OMG I need to try this! :D
I have a 2012 Menghai Dayi Laochatuo that I really love :) It reminds me of milk chocolate.
I am not a sweet/flavored tea kind of guy but this was a nice surprise, I think I will try different tea head shu nuggets soon. I saw yunnan sourcing has a bunch but just to be sure I bought a butt load of this stuff just in case.
Paul tells me he just bought the entire production. Thank goodness cause I’m not sure my nearly half kilo is gonna be enough.
LOL I will surely buy some every order, before I tried this I nearly gave up on shu. Strange I brought this over to a fellow tea drinkers (non-puer) house and of course it behaved differently. It had more of the wu dei in the initial 2 or 3 steeps but under my home conditions it was barely detectable within the first. I am a big advocate of cheap spring water I really do feel like brings out the best qualities while leaving nastier ones out only on hunch one of these days I will do a controlled experiment.
Soaking in cold water whilst the water boils is one way to remove a bit of the pile. Also you can just toss the first five steeps.
I think when I get my order i will let them air out in a jar as well, while we are on the subject this is my first tea head nugget shu, have you tried any others? I was eyeing the one from yunnan sourcing or even menghai
The older Menghai’s are pretty good. Get one at least 3 years old though.