This is the most aged sheng I’ve had with what one could call dry (aka, Kunming) storage. As such, it is an important reference point for my own storage experiments. Of course, it is hard to come to strong conclusions given that I know little to nothing about how the tea was when young and how it progressed throughout the years, but one has to start somewhere.
I have enjoyed my one session with this tea a great deal! It has a rounded profile, well-defined and pungent flavours and a thicker texture than any other aged sheng I’ve had. Moreover, the cha qi is super relaxing and strong, but not aggressive in any way – the tea didn’t knock me out, it just induced a very peaceful state of mind.
The flavour profile is a mix of forest (earth, pine needle, sweet wood), herbaceous (thyme flowers), fruit (apricot, citrus), and savoury (burnt butter) notes. Interestingly, the aftertaste is warming rather than cooling. It is also sweet and a bit acidic, with a honey note emerging at times but never dominating. The liquor has a full body and a smooth creamy mouthfeel that’s a little bit chalky and numbing.
One of the first aged raw pu-erh teas I have thoroughly enjoyed and I will be looking to purchase a cake to savour over the years.
Flavors: Apricot, Burnt, Butter, Citrus, Earth, Flowers, Forest Floor, Herbaceous, Honey, Pine, Smooth, Sweet, Thick, Thyme, Wet Earth, Wood
