1999 Cangmi

Finishing random sample bags.

2 rinses for tight compression. Somewhat choppy material, at least for the sample. 7.2g/90/212

1. Yang storage, bitter herbal, honey. Some floral (overstepped chrysanthemum tisane?) aspect to aftertaste in throat
2. Similar but more pronounced bitter. Some warming and downing feeling in face
3. Woody bitter. Warming in face

Did fourth and fifth long distracted steeps, but not too interesting otherwise.

One of the older sheng pu’er I’ve had, if not the oldest, gifted by the hand of mrmopar! How many years ago?

Camphor forward with dark and moderately bitter-smokey tobacco and suede taste but rounded by a buoyant, almost sparkling fruity sweetness that most closely resembles ripe papaya. Despite being 23 years old, there’s still a well of astringency that comes out after several steeps, which combined with the rest of the tea’s character, suggests one that has been stored on the drier end. This takes hard steeps pretty well and lasts long enough that both sessions of this sample had to be split up between 2 days.

I see mentions of Yang Qing Hao here and there on the internet; it was nice to finally try one of the teas. Thanks mrmopar <3

All in all a rather light tea, which shines through ts typical yang-storage note and a nice camphor note, despite the subsequent pressing fortunately not too “dry” and with a calm, warm character. However, as far as body and Qi are concerned, there is hardly anything that can be tickled out of the tea – with a proper dosage and a longer brewing time one only strengthens the astringency.

Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/1999-cangmi-yqh

This tea was good, at least I enjoyed it. It started off with notes of tobacco and perhaps leather. These didn’t last and were replaced by another aged note that was still a little unpleasant. This note (I’m not sure how to describe it) lasted another four or five steeps. This was replaced by a sweet note of sorts. Not apricot sweetness like a young sheng but a more subdued sweetness. It became very smooth. There was a certain bitterness throughout the steeps too. There was no note of wet storage. I think the storage of this brick was very clean. The main question is this worth the price? Because of the fact that I split this three ways and mailed off two big chunks of it today I would say yes. My first impulse is to say I wouldn’t get myself a whole brick of this in the next group order but who knows what I’ll think after I drink this again. I gave this tea fifteen steeps and stopped at that. I think it would have gone another five or six steeps. I don’t know if I will save the leaves for tomorrow or later today, I may. This tea has some qi to it. It is not a massive qi but I am definitely feeling it now, quite energizing.

I steeped this tea fifteen times in a 60ml gaiwan with 4.5g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse and a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min, 2.5 min, 3 min, and 3.5 min.