Dan Cross Send Message

Ever wonder why they called it “cooked” puerh?
This is one of the most unusual teas I’ve ever tried. I was expecting the “mini brick” to be the size of, say, a small paperback book. Instead, it’s smaller than a pack of cigarettes! Very densely packed too, and very ripe. The dry tea smells lovely, like fragrant tobacco. And the brewed tea tastes something like tobacco too. Another review I read somewhere called it “ashy” and I think that’s accurate. It tastes roasted, almost burnt. It’s not smoky, exactly, but I think “ashy” is a good description. Or maybe charcoal. There’s no fishiness in it, but there is very little fresh tea taste left. Instead, it tastes very very “cooked.” And I don’t know if it is me, but the wet leaves give off a peculiar smell I can only describe as kind of like petroleum, or turpentine, or linseed oil. I started to think this stuff was so composted it was on its way to becoming crude oil. I’m not saying I don’t like it though. It’s just very strong and a little peculiar. I’ve only been into puerh for a few months, but I’ve tried probably a dozen ripe teas, and this was the most unusual. Let me know if you have the same experience I did, especially with regards to the smell.