Got a free sample of this with my first PS order.
Little anecdote: I called the shop the other day, and asked the guy for any recommendations since I’m fairly new to puer (more like I actively try to avoid expensive hobbies as a broke student and yet the siren call still drew me in eventually). The guy told me they don’t give recommendations since if I didn’t like the tea based on their recommendation, they’d have a problem on their hands. Seems to me to be a fundamental misunderstanding of the point of recommendations (do we all share the same tastes?), but whatever goes. Must’ve dealt with some rough customers in the past LOL.
Anyway, review time.
7.9 g (whole sample), 100 mL Brita in a 200F, gaiwan
Rinsed 2x 5s w/ 212F
dry leaves have a medicinal date smell, but so does the rest of my PS order so I don’t know if it’s storage or what.
wet leaves smell smoky and fruity.
5s: medicinal, sweet dates. Aftertaste is sweet and smoky. Slight thickness.
10s: stronger sharpness. Something reminds me of cherry.
20s: bitter and sharp. Drying.
Bubbles throughout, but not /as/ scum-like as the last Beantown tea I tried.
Later infusions brought up a light fishy smell. I couldn’t continue drinking, but continued infusing to see what happened. Nothing exciting. Continual sharpness with a bite, but sweetness fades almost immediately after the first few steepings where sweetness was noted. I would be sad if I had to drink through a brick of this.
TL;DR: I’m glad I didn’t pay for this one.
Flavors: Bitter, Cherry, Dates, Fishy, Fruity, Medicinal, Smoke, Sweet
