90

I got this tea before I had read any descriptions or heard anything about it actually, so I had no idea what to expect.

The aroma in the pack was giving off a kind of shellfish smell, which surprised me, but I think that was mostly just me picking that up. Underneath that was a dark, creamy sweetness and that is what is expressed in the liquor.

The tea is not tightly packed, it crumbles easily into small chunks, making a consistent brew.

After a wash brew, the first infusion is a strong deep red (I brewed the first infusion about 10 seconds) and the aroma matches the dry leaf aroma, just with a bit more life to it.

The liquor is not as thick as some puers, more mellow and somewhat transparent, vibrant red.

The flavour is simple – oats, malt, rice and other cereals. There’s not to much mystery with this tea and it stays consistent over the mutliple brews. Getting lighter and lighter as you go.

Very patient. After the first steeping I did a couple of flash brews then slowly increase brew time. I went right up to 15 brews, it still had something to offer, albeit much weaker than the first infusion.

The energy is very good. Comfortable. Warming for sure and positive, reassuring. Very balanced. I don’t feel I could get an uncomfortable or anxious feeling from this tea – it’s consistent and balanced. Really good for meditation and paying close attention to.

There’s not much of a kick to it, no overwhelming ‘hit’, just a nice, deep, mellow energy that moves quickly to your whole body. An internal warm bath of sorts.

It’s not the most complex of teas – wears its colours on its sleeves – creamy, slightly sweet, malty and oats – all the way through start to finish.

No signs of damp, mold, forest floor or compost – which is nice. Very much a ‘go-to’, happy to have it in the collection kind of tea when you’re looking for something that tastes and feels great without knocking your socks off energy-wise.

Would love to try the ’98 version to compare and contrast.

Flavors: Cream, Malt, Oats, Rice, Wheat

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 15 sec 8 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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Hello there! My name is Russ, I’m from the UK but I live (semi-)permanently in Yunnan, Dali.

My biggest love is Oolong, but of course… I love all tea.

instagram.com/russindali

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China, Yunnan, Dali

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