2014 Jinggu Raw Puerh, Rye Barrel Stored

The first full cake of my very own that I’ve ever hacked away at! Twuwy a bwessed day.

From the leaves: scotch custard, bourbon vanilla, cedar. Pour smells of minerals, spring water, generic alcohol vapors, cucumber, wood essence… pretty light. Tastes watery, scotchy… vanilla extract and wood notes.

Cherry liqueur and wood perfume now on the leaves. Still smells and tastes surprisingly watery… alcohol and wood essence, yes, but dulled… it’s a little more rounded as it cools, but feel like i’m missing the “tea” component here.

Okay, the third steep is showing up more… more barrel, more astringency, more cooling. ACH, FIRST I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND QI AND NOW I CAN’T STOP IT, BLERRRRRRRGH.

No, but seriously. Feeling a little overwhelmed. I may need to limit myself to one sheng a day going forward. Also eating. I’ll come back to this one later. Later later.

Backlog 1/28/2022

The texture of the dry leaf is so odd. It’s loosely compressed, but the leaf is bendable, so it’s difficult to break apart. I’m guessing it’s the fact it was aged in a rye barrel for 6 months.

The aroma definitely smells like whiskey. Flavor wise, it’s sweet, tastes like whiskey without the burn, and smooth. The immediate hit is burnt sugar, pepper, and has a lingering caramel flavor on the tongue.

I drink this every Friday after work, so that I may have the pleasure of having the liquor experience without the hangover. I kicked the habit of drinking spirits after going remote in 2020. Tea is much better for me anyway. :)