2005 Nan Zhao "Hong He Yuan" Raw Pu-erh Tea Cake

Another smokey, raw pu’erh from YS. This one came as part of their “smoky tea lovers sampler set“ which I bought not because I particularly love smoky tea, but rather I am unfamiliar with it and wanted the experience! A sampler set seemed to be a good place to get that experience, especially if they are teas selected by lovers of smoke!

Well, this tea did not disappoint. Steeped to a golden hue (after 10s rinses in hot tap, then boiling spring, water). A great smoky flavor, soft mouth feel with low astringency, and a good lingering aftertaste. Clearly well aged, but without “humidity“ in the nose and no trace of fish, compost, or dirt on the tongue. This tea would stand up to, and complement, a bacon & egg breakfast, with the sweet smokiness echoing smoked bacon! By the third infusion, the leaves had opened up to reveal a dark green chop with a few stems, and the soup had transitioned to a honey-brown hue. Fourth infusion still had some fines at the bottom of the cup and the flavors had tempered—still smokey, but time to lengthen the steep time considerably.

There’s a smoky, sort of ‘dark’ dimension to the scent of this tea that I don’t usually expect from sheng. The flavour is tart and bitter, with an initially very wet feel, fading to dry astringency. The smoke is there too, an aftertaste in the back of the mouth. The aroma is hay-like. An interesting and unusual tea, although not really to my taste.