The Essence of Tea

Please, Essence of Tea, please tell me you can ship from Malaysia. You released so much of your old Malaysian-stored catalog!

Backlog of a long-ago-purchased-sample sipdown. This tea now feels like a distant dream. Oh I found the envelope with some notes written on the back:
easy to drink
very sweet, hint of smoke, foresty, light sparkling sweetness, very mineral, honey, cotton candy, cantaloupe, nutmeg, wintergreen
becoming balanced bitter/astringent
floral, perfume

I do remember Yunyun had a certain depth and mellow complexity, a vibrant, watery, fluid energy that pulled me back and eddied me forward, an aftertaste that settled in for the ride.

Currently
$18 / 25g
$120 / 200g

And there goes a lone quail, darting past me into the understory of a coast live oak, whose branches touch the ground and gather many animals into its safe haven. Happy Easter.
Listen: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/239147841

Thank you to Marshall for letting me try this one!! I might have to do two separate tasting notes. My husband is painting some minis, and the paint is horrendously stinky. >.< I’ve got my air purifier and the stove fan running. I’ll just keep my nose in the pot and call it a new type of mask hehe

Dry appearance: Little bit of everything in this one! A nice sized twig, and a variety of different leaf pluckings. Nicely pressed.
Flavor: A lot going on in here. I ruined my first steeping. Went too long. Many different woody tones. Some palo santo, some old decaying tree stump, fresh twigs.
I do not mind drinking dark teas, but I definitely feel like my palate just isn’t as suited to finding the deeper nuances.

The last sample from my order from EoT. This one is decent, though one of my least favorite for shengs of this age. Can tell this one spent some time in HK.

Very smooth and with no bitterness or astringency. Barely any sweetness, if at all. Lasts 12+ infusions. Nothing wrong with this tea per say, but the storage notes are fairly lacking compared to it’s same-aged counterparts. That is what I want, and this tea has likely had too “clean” of storage since it’s days in HK to be the right one for me.

Another sample from my EOT order. I agree with beerandbeancurd’s assessment that this one is a bit hyped up on EOT’s website. It is very easy to drink, but there isn’t a ton to latch on to. It definitely has a nice and aged flavor to it with some storage notes, just nothing that stands out or is particularly strong. It does have great longevity, but won’t be caking this one either.

Got my first order from EOT today and gave this one a try. It’s not too bad! I can definitely tell this is quality leaf material, and I think it has great potential. It must have seen mostly dry storage as it is the youngest tasting 2004 tea I’ve had. None of the notes or flavors are off putting, and the mouthfeel is nice with a bit of cha qi. I just don’t think it’s overall my style, at least yet. Great price for the age and quality, but probably won’t be caking this one.

stomach needed a break from puer…

5.8g, 90 mL ZZZ

dry leaf: sharp in a cleaning solution way…

wet: seaweed, light smoke, woody

rinsed once. Tried to make it quick, but unfortunately only can do so much. I’m sure it would’ve been nice, but also did not feel comfortable drinking the rinse of something older than I am.

1st: thick, a bit smoky, vegetal. sour, bitter, some sweet finish reminding me of chinese bakery sweets. more vegetal than usual graham cracker tinged sweetness of roasted oolongs. Leaf still seemed a bit green in the pot, so wonder if it’s just bc wasn’t as heavily roasted.

2. straightforward woody medicinal

3 +4 : long steeps were pretty light, maybe some core plum

thermos’d the rest for two hours and that was an ok woody semi-plummy cup more in line with the usual aged oo profile. Is it good? I guess. I never feel like these are especially worth the money, since at $2.33/g this session was only a dollar cheaper than my favorite sandwich in Boston. I guess this is my version of starbucks and avocado toast to get flamed for

A freebie with my latest order, thank you!

I haven’t been drinking much tea for about a month. Early mornings have been chilly, plus we get more fog at our new housee, so I’ve been making matcha lattes or coffee. And lately, the afternoons have been miserable with temperatures in the mid 90s to mid 100s so I have rarely wanted tea in the afternoon or evening (except for chrysanthemum).

Anyway, like yesterday, the day started to heat up quickly so I didn’t want my usual matcha latte or coffee. I made a grandpa mug with this, half a coin, and refilled throughout the day. It was a refreshing blend of a lightly sweet honey-cotton candy sheng with some mellow earthiness from the shou. More sheng in taste and body without typical sheng astringency, and more shou in aroma. Clear and clean overall.

I probably never would have purchased this on my own accord, and yet it turns out I really enjoy it! With how arid it is this time of year, I don’t want any astringency in my tea. I’m already a dried-out husk of a human. With how hot it is, I’m just not ready for shou. This is a case of tea blending that fits my picky mood lately. Breakfast for Meditators – easy does it! Good seasonal transition tea. Might have to spring for this with my next order if it’s still around.

Come on rainy season!

got around to this after 2 years…

6.7g, 90mL duanni, 212f

2 rinses. compression is not too bad, but was hard to separate individual leaves as is often the case for shou puer.

1st: slightly bitter, some acidity. rounded and something coffee like

2nd: like 1st. slightly sweet finish, almost like a sheng with a few years on it in a minty sweet floral kind of way.

3rd: clean.

i had dinner plans and so had to run, but this was a pleasant surprise. I don’t think I’ve made it a secret that I don’t fancy most of what I’ve tried from EoT, and find their teas I’ve tried subpar, or at best to be of mediocre value and/or quality. I enjoyed this! I haven’t bought anything from W2T in years, so have no benchmark for modern shou though

Freebie from The Essence of Tea in my last order, thank you!

Characterwise, I can tell it’s an Yiwu sheng. It has that milky kind of sweetness and a pleasant huigan. The tastes are kind of in a disjointed state with the textural components, though. It’s rather heavy and very drying. And something felt off with the energy. At first it was settling but then I became very foggy and scattered, which could just be an amplification of my current mindstate. I’m tired. This tea is not for me at this moment, or possibly ever.

Of note, I only made it 3 or 4 steeps. As the liquor cooled, it became very cloudy, the murkiest I’ve ever seen in a sheng puerh. Is that an indication of highly active fermentation?

Finished the last of this cake from 2012, the Year of the Dragon, about a month ago.

It’s one of the most powerful teas I’ve tasted – with an extreme bitterness, oaky tannins and tobacco tones.

On a general level, I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer younger more mineral, fruity expressions of the Pu Erh terroir – with less tannins and more sweetness.

If one is fond of secondary & tertiary aramos I assume this is a wonderful tea.

Certainly not the most forward yancha. This tea is not about tasting notes. I can’t even describe it besides heavenly and gently medicinal. If it had a bit longer aftertaste, this would be a 100 for me. Glad I drank the rinse as the first cup.

The Essence of tea said it best: “…a tea that is clear to drink, pure taste, with good thickness and minerality.”

When, from first sip, the tea slips away without effort, like the cool stream that dips underground as it courses, and any thought that once occupied my being is now a ghost of the so-called caring self —

Yeah.

That’s good tea.

Thanks to Derk for sending me this tea! The cat pee description kind of turned me off, but the rest of the notes made me curious. I steeped 6 g of leaf in a 120 ml porcelain pot using 195F water for 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds, plus some long, uncounted steeps.

The dry leaf aroma is of grapes, mango, black cherry, malt, and, um, blackcurrant. The first steeps have syrupy notes of grapes, dates, raspberry, apricot, mango, blackcurrant, florals (let’s say osmanthus, though I’m still not 100% on identifying that), hay, cream, and malt. It tastes like fruit leather in the best possible way. Along with the fruit, I get bread, honey, herbs, and spices in the next couple steeps. Steeps five and six have a strawberry/banana/apricot/currant fruitiness balanced by the bready, herbaceous, floral, honey, beer-like qualities. The next few steeps are still fruity, but the honey, bread, yeast, hay, and herbs are more prominent. Later steeps feature jammy berries, florals, malt, minerals, wood, and slight tannins.

Despite its occasional funkiness, this is a lovely, complex tea with great longevity, basically no astringency, and lots of fruit. I wish I’d started with longer steeps to bring that out a bit more. I may not be quite as enthusiastic about it as Derk is, but I’d highly recommend this tea.

The weather is beginning to turn, and my garden is slowly starting to wither. We had a light rain, and I try to spend time with them before they all disappear. Each year is always bittersweet for me to say goodbye to my friends. Weird; I know.
I decided to sit out in the soil and brew this alongside my plants and the little critters about. This shu is partially fermented, so it’s on the dry side. the leaves are very well done and invite a unique experience. I was welcomed with stable notes of red oak, petrichor, and spiced rye. The finish introduced a subtle sweetness, fungus, and warm earth. These leaves carry a vibrant energy that builds with each steep; truly invigorating. I sat among my green survivors, with soft music, and warm tea. This brew wrapped the experience warmly and delivered soft gentle kisses among the rain.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CymLGGqu20x/?img_index=2

You know those happy little tea samples that make their way to your table, and you break it open and begin steeping, and by the first sip you grab your phone and look up if it’s still for sale and how much you can afford to buy?? No?? … me neither….

Lol, this was that tea for me! great stuff; a beautiful blend!
The sample was a small edge of cake loosely thread with a lovely array of colors. I wasn’t pay too much attention, but I lowered it into my yixing and began steeping while listening to some tunes. The first sip grabbed ahold of my attention. Pungent, smooth, sweet, and nourishing. A complex fascinating array of feelings and tastes. if you’ll allow, I’ll ramble on for a minute, I’m reaching the point in my puerh journey where my horde is out of control and not many cakes peak my interest. I can categorize teas into just a handful of categories. It’s an attitude I’m recently working on adjusting. To circle back, this brew helped with that attitude adjustment. Simple yet refined, no frills, marketing tactics, single origin or terroir specific notes. It was straightforward with intriguing qualities for those wanting more. This is a tea i could comfortably serve to friends and families alike. This is an early Sunday morning brew, or an after-harvest pick-me-up, or even an evening broth to melt the stress off from the chores of the day. It opens with soft vegetive tones and a nourishing spring water background. The movement continues to watercress, lily pads, and bamboo shoots. The gulp ends with a mild tannin on the tongue and returning sweetness that lingers in the throat. You can expect Menghai fruitiness, Lincang clarity, and Yiwu tenderness.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyt39tOu3IK/

I blind-bought this cake on an impulse. It’s not a smart time for me to be splurging on tea, but here we are. This hasn’t been with me long, and I think it needs more time to adjust… but I did want to jot down first impressions so I can come back and have my mind blown later. No pressure, little cakey-poo.

Impressions are not much, honestly. I felt like the entire session had a straightjacket on it, the leaf being pleasant enough but not really offering up anything in the way of distinct or interesting tasting notes. Classic Bulang tobacco, if I may be so bold, but muted. I read over Tea_Ass’s 2yo note just now and it feels like we drank different teas. This one’s going in my crock, then up the mountain, then into a sunny window… and then I’ll pull it back out in a few months. Qi is nice enough; I do feel more grounded and relaxed than when I sat down with it (a function of the ritual or the molecules, hmm?).

I drove up the mountain and signed all my papers today. Keys in two days. Met some super cool neighbors next door, and one across the way who lives alone and reminds me of Eeyore and I love her. Met some other townsfolk, too, and feel like they’re my people. I’m excited and a little dreading how much work moving + prepping our current place to sell is going to be all at once. But. Excited.

Sure is fun to run into good stuff as I trip along in my puerh education. Thank you for this chapter of study, derk.

Warming leaf is smoky… grilled meat, dried apricot, medicinal, herbal. Pours golden liquor that smells like smoky mushroom broth, hay, dandelion smear. The first steep is thick in the mouth, with hay and camphor. Clear apricot huigan.

Back at the wet leaf, whew: smoked white beans, kelp, cooling herbs, camphor. Drydown on the lid smells like ink. Pour still smells of smoke, with medicinal notes like iodine and some tobacco coming through. Some new astringency in the mouth alongside the smoke; body is surprisingly lighter than the first steep but quite smooth, with clear camphor… ah, there is the qi hit… biiiiiiiing!… apricot huigan is strong and distinct — no real sweetness in the actual liquor yet, it’s all in the return. There’s something a little sour in here, too, just accenting everything.

Wet leaf is now aligned more with the liquor — smoky-medicinal. The taste starts mellowing and melding everything together. Smoke starts dissipating, sweetness pokes through a bit more in the liquor.

Super chonky in the beginning… I think I’m on steep twelve or so as I write this, and it is still turning out lovely cups that lean more comforting than curious. Beautiful.

I connected little more open-heartedly with the 2010 Ben Pen I had recently, but this reminded me of that quite a lot — especially with that delicious smoke. I want everyone to love tea in their own way, but I can’t relate to not loving smoky puerh, hehe. I am absolutely thrilled that the Ban Pen is still available, a little sad that this one isn’t… but they are both going on my tea map as reference points of lurrrrrrrve. <3

I found this issue of Global Tea Hut’s magazine dedicated to the Mengsong area, and it covers Baotang specifically. Pretty great resource:
http://archive.globalteahut.org/docs/issues/2018-03.pdf

Playful bitterness. Bitter can be angry, but this isn’t that. Super wet.

Not the most concentrated liquor; I was tempted to stuff in more leaves, but the water was already barely covering them. Maybe they are a little dry? I started pushing steeps longer to try to compensate.

I steeped the hell outta this and never arrived at the sour-sweet cherries or any other promised bits. Watered out and away. Feels like something could be wrong.

derk, thank you, and have you had this recently? Maybe I should try adding a humidity button to the other 3g?

High praise from EoT for this 7542 imitation cake by CNNP, but I drank it just prior to a sample of 2003 7542 Menghai (via derk, via mrmopar), and they are quite different. Of course storage is a factor, too — this one having come from Guangzhou.

I would agree with EoT’s “comfortable to drink” assessment. It is largely basement camphor, with some initial cooling in the back of the throat that moves into the top of the mouth as steeps progress. I am nearing steep-out and didn’t take detailed notes, so I’ll probably be back around on this one. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the presumably-authentic 7542 from Menghai, to be sure — it’s much less complex and doesn’t taste as clean — but will be happy enough to revisit it in the future.

A refined and gentle tea with qualities quietly confident. I’m not encouraged to analyze.

Very warming on a spring day.

Thank you for the sample, The Essence of Tea.