Loot Send Message

Gongfu style.

5 gram sample mini cake, whole.

Initial steeping very light wet pile aroma. Something I could only label as fish sauce type of aromas …fermenti and briny. Mouthfeel is very thin. I think this has to do with the small cake was added as a whole.

2 – 5 steepings is much darker, a little more bold but not bold. comes in, still with a light mouthfeel but hints of pepper and cedar. It has a very medium light body, more than before. It has this after taste and feel that reminds you of a good, wholesome black tea. It’s overall not very complicated, but easy drinking. Slight medicinal flavor. Finishes with light leather and petrichor. It has a initial snap brightness, very quick, a flash up front. Develops some tobacco, menthol notes on the exhale. Still continuing much of the same lighter flavor profile. A salty tobacco , and cedar flavor, with an Umami finish. Maybe some Chinese five-spice? Idk the things surprising me at the moment are the lightness of the body and the kind of salinity notes that I’m getting, There’s an almost ocean characteristic.

Steepings 6-8 The tea it’s starting to flatten out it’s never really gained any sweetness. imagine it was a bitter tea. Which is kind of showing up I believe as a kind of bitter iodine note. Inky? The liquid is just now ever giving up some lightness in color. It is transitioning to and kind of back drop up generic black tea and malt. Energy however is noticeable, especially for the style of tea. This could go for at least 12 steeps.

Overall I think this is a great introduction into ripe/shou teas or possibly a daily drinker depending on your taste. All in all not a bad tea whatsoever… I was just a little disappointed, as I was kind of expecting a little more complexity. If you’re looking for a good daily drinker or to dip your toe into the water that is ripe/shou puerh tea then this would be a great place to start.