As an introduction into pu’er, it was…certainly something. The tea, done gong fu style for tasting purposes, turned our smoother than when I attempted it Western. Although it was relatively smooth and the complexity was beyond what I’m used to in, let’s say run of the mill black teas, it has a distinctly ‘fishy’ smell.
This, I am told, is exhibited by low-quality, very young or incorrectly fermented pu’ers. They (I’m sure there are exceptions) are supposed to smell more earthy with darker fragrances (malt, etc.)
Although it worked well for multiple infusions (30 seconds – 1 minute), I still couldn’t get over the fragrance. If you can’t find any pu’er locally, this might be your best bet at trying a fermented aged tea (other than oolong).
Flavors: Bitter, Cocoa, Malt, Smoke
