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Thank you so very much, LiberTEAS, for this tea included in the samples I recieved from you.
I didn’t know what to expect, I’ve never had a tea meant to taste like wine. Making a game of it my wife and I smelled the dry leaf without reading what it was. She said blueberries first, then recanted not sure. I said bubblegum. She was much closer obviously(though I shall revisit my choice later).
The wet leaf has a sweet malty aroma. The liquor is e deep red with just a smidge of brown.
I was surprised at how much it remineds me of wine, though it’s been over ten years since I’ve had any of it. The flavor is malty as well, with floral notes. I swear they snuck fermented grapes into this concoction…IT TASTE LIKE WINE.
The bubblegum comes into play in the afterflavor, I think it’s sugar free but I don’t chew much gum so can’t place it.
I’m really impressed with this glass of wi…I mean cuppa tea. Not an everyday drinker, but something to savor late at night just before bed which is befitting because…goodnight.
tune-Amos Lee=Black River/Keep It Loose,Keep It Tight/What’s Been Going On

Smelling the dry leaf of this tea I thought it to be quite a bit less earthy or aquatic as other pu’erhs I’ve tried. The piece I recieved from Pu’erhshop was more compact than other pu’erhs as well. After rinsing I saw that the color was a strong yellow with a little green. The wet smell sweet. First taste also revealed a very sweet and minty flavor that actually subdued much of the warm earthy flavor that became more prevalent after a few steeps. The earth tone that was present came out more a sandelwood; leather mixed with cedar but less acidic. There was a hint of creaminess and little astringency to speak of, this however increased with cooling of the drink. Afterflavor is very pleasant and minty.
Second steep; astringency has backed off again allowing me to further enjoy the sweeter notes. The complexity has increased in that the warm earth feel tried to push it’s way forward, but the sweet wouldn’t yeild. Now I’m starting to taste the more common woodiness, say of acorns. The astringency rises with time as before, but the minty afterflavor helps to compensate for one who shys from dry drinks. Generally speaking I like this pu’erh, especially since there are no exaggerated complaints of ‘fish smell’ from the peanut gallery in my home. It’s not as good as some of the pu’erhs in my sampler, but I’m starting to see a gravitation toward pu’s.
Note; after a few more steeps the more common wet earth/aqautic flavor showed up,not that it’s a bad thing.

Quick note; in a hurry. upon smelling this tea I thought it would taste like Christmas ham-clove and cinnamon. I was relieved to find it did not, though both spices were apparent. I’m not a clove fan so I didn’t make it far, though my wife that doesn’t write notes loved it. Moderate astringency (wife didn’t agree) and dry is no good to me either. This is something I may have to work on so as not to miss out on other notable intricacies present in drier teas. Pleasant afterflavor, should work nicely to clear the palate of an oily meal. Not bad, just not a clove person.
tunes playing-America=Tin Man/Ventura Highway/Sister Golden Hair Surprise

I’m realizing that my nose isn’t my most discerning of parts (although physically one of the more prominent). Smelling the dry leaves stumped me so I cheated = I peaked at other notes. I have to use TeaEqualBliss’ description of licorice,just a hint. There’s a kinda hot cinnamon thing there too.
There are pieces and stems to the leaves, but that makes sense since they are so long and curled slightly. It makes for a fluffy sack of tea that crushes easily. I don’t have much to say about the unfurling. The liquor a light gold.
Really alot going on in this cuppa. A hint of that licorice, with a sweet heavier than grass flavor. I geuss I will agree with both LiberTEAS and K S in the use of hay in my description (see what I get for cheating,not an original thought one). The aftertaste is where I see the very sweet licorice tone the most. It’s astringency is low, but it’s flavor kinda bold, even after several infusions.
That’s it,…I like it!
tunes=William Elliott Whitmore-Old Devils/Digging My Grave/Dry/Red Buds
Folky with an edge.Throaty gravely voice.

Nahnahnabooboo!
Enough with the immaturity. I now have to give a proper tasting note on Steenbergs Milky Oolong. I haven’t had this tea for 3-4 weeks. I wrote a note off memory just because it was my first favorite tea. I got a little more from LiberTEAS ( thank you sooo much! ) and so now can write a note as I sip, properly.
Dry leaf smell is fruity and floral, my mind jumps to-DESSERT.Leaves are slow to unfurl and the fruity notes start to intensify once infused. Liquor is a pale golden color. The first drink you can’t help but notice the sweet fruity taste, for me it’s something between strawberries and blueberries. It’s literally hard to believe this flavor comes naturally with no additives. There’s really no astringency and my mouth actually waters while I drink this magical oolong. I tap my feet through 4 more steepings, increasing the time 15 seconds each one, it’s still a testament of amazing deliciousity. This would be a good tea for someone who typically sweetens to go ‘oh naturale’. Before ending this note I must also thank Pureleaf for suggesting I drop my temp from boiling to 190 degrees thereby encouraging the full potential of flavor to be released. I was happy with it before, yet when making this change there was a distinct increase in it’s sweetness.
Tapping my foot to Silly Wizard-a celtic/gaelic band from the 70’s&80’s. The set was Fisherman’s Song/Isla Waters/Parish Of Dunkeld/Twa Brithers.

tunes=Mumford and Sons(yes more Mumford)-White Blank Page/Thistle and Weeds/
Dust Bowl Dance/After the Storm/I Gave You All/Liar.

I just tore into this wonderful little drink a moment age.Dry leaf smell made me hungry. I’m not proficient in cooking spices to recognise what it was; a sweet minty smell. Red brown color. Wet leaves didn’t unfurl much,stemmy with pieces.First drink caught me off gaurd, so smooth yet rich. The maltiness, which reminded me of red wine, stood out.A wisp of smoke was present along woth a minty sweet/sour I felt in my outer jaws.Full body yet light and airy. I went ahead and steeped a second time and was glad I did. It may have lost too much for some of the more experienced drinkers, but you will hear no complaints from me. The malt eroded away to even sweeter notes. Something else about this drink; it’s very thirst quenching-no astringency. I have to agree with a post I saw (spoiler) from TeaEqualsBliss where she said it was ‘juicey’. Thanks Pureleaf for this one. I only wish I had enough to drink it all day. That’s OK, it’s going on my wish list. Yummy for my tummy.
Tune-Chris Cornell/Can’t Change Me(french),Two Drink Minimum,When I’m Down
If you,ve not heard his solo stuff and are a fan treat yourself. He spans several genres you may not predict.