The Essence of Tea
Edit CompanyPopular Teas from The Essence of Tea
See All 203 TeasRecent Tasting Notes
At first very spicy and nutty, which turns to a slightly bitter floral note. Somewhat astringent and very fresh.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-nancai-ancient-eot
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Floral, Nutty, Spicy
Preparation
Very light and elegant for a Sheng and more so for a wild Sheng. This one is of a very different character as the other wild Shengs this year but nonetheless very lovely since it has a long lasting, cooling fruitiness combined with a light, relaxing Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-secret-forest-wild-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Cherry, Fruity
Preparation
Very well compressed tea from what seems like the purple leafed varietal. There is forest moss and subtle hickory smoke in the dry leaf aroma. After the first wash, the leaves reveal intriguing aromas – dried plum, roasted walnut, pine wood, and moss after the spring rain. The tea brews a very clear and pale amber. Body is light yet the tea is somehow rich.
It’s a remarkable tea. The Qi is intense from the start. It moves towards the back of the head and envelops the cerebellum, spreads down my spine, and into my shoulders. It remains there, leaving feeling warm and elevated (not hyper) for the entire session and afterwards. It also spreads to my chest and remains. I’m fully alert yet calm and happy. This is really cool stuff.
Initial steeps remind me of Yunnan Sourcing’s DeHong purple tea, but then the tea quickly reminds you that it’s something else entirely. The bitterness and sharpness in the initial steeps is much more similar to wild spring herbs (raw mugwort or ssuk in Korean) than tea, as it covers my entire mouth cavity and morphs on the sides of the tongue into intense tart apricots, sour cherries, grapefruit, dandelion greens, and oregano, but then transforms via huigan into something fruity and savory…and lingers. There is no smokiness in the flavor.
Mid steeps become even more fruity (plum, peach, cherry, green apple), honeyed, and very smooth. I can taste and feel the purity of this tea. It has great depth and, despite my description above, it’s quite difficult to accurately describe. It must be experienced first hand. I am tempted to purchase another bing.
As the 2016 version this one comes with a plesant and strong bitter and wild flavor, but more fruity and heavy as last year. Again a strong and relaxing Qi – one of the best Shengs ever!
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-kunlu-ancient-tree-wild-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Cherry, Fruity, Heavy, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Bitter-sweet and very fruity ith a longlasting aftertaste like berrys and nice, decent Qi. Later on the bitterness turns down and becomes more sweet, like tart sour cheryys. You get really much for your money!
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-jingdong-ancient-wild-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Cherry, Fruity, Sweet
Preparation
I have this one in my cart. Nice to see some notes before I get one.
It’s really worth the money if you enjoy strong and bold puerhs with a wild profile. Not as hardcore as the Kunlu Bitter but more faceted flavors. Really enjoy this one.
Indeed I do. Kunlu, Bulang, Mang Fei are some of my favorites. I like to be smacked around by a tea.
I am considering this one, too. I did a blind buy on the 2016 kunlu bitter. It’s one of the most interesting teas in my collection.
omg. the bitterness on this one is pretty hardcore
Literally its making my throat numb and feels like its closing. ouf
Woot? Ok, there’s some nice and strong bitterness, but not as strong as the Kunlu Wild … be prepared ;-)
Haha, well i didnt get as much fruit as the terre de ciel kunlu, it has been a bitter-fest all the way, but its a deep bitter, not tangy, hard to explain. I might try with lower temps next time
What the 2016 EOT kunlu has gotten by for it is body feel and qi. Of course there is wonderfully deep bitterness that rings in the mouth, but what it does to my body is remarkable. The qi (essence) travels to unexpected parts of the body and lingers there like a heat pack for hours.
i’m chasing the juicy huigan of the TDC Kunlu. I’m not that bothered about Qi unless its too stimulating and then i dont like it
@Alexander – I am not getting anywhere near the bitterness I got with the kunlu than I did with this one. I have knocked 5c off the temp to 85 in preparation but I cant taste much bitterness at all.
Maybe I hit this Jingdong too hot by accident, although I havent ever done that before. It was waaaay bitter
@ranluwils: True, there is some very nice Qi with the Kunlu, like it was on the 2016er EoT Kunlu, too. Love it!
@Rasseru: Really? This is quite strange – I usually prepare Sheng this young the same way (8g to 80 ml and about 85-90 °C temperature) and the Kunlu has been always more bitter than the Jingdong. Let me know how the next sessions with those two work out!
yeah I will do. I’ll finish the samples properly, got another 2 sessions of each. Yeah i’m about the same specs. Maybe i’m used to the kunlu bitter as i’ve had a lot more of that type & my tongue is new to the jingdong. I dont know. interesting though, it was quite a noticeable difference. Also shows how different peoples tastes can be, especially with crazy sheng flavours
some of these tastes are sometimes way past the fringes of what normal people consider to be nice tasting, Its like the wild west of taste, haha
yeah, like Puerh itself is “acquired taste”, so are those very bitter Shengs (more so since you have to “acquire after you’ve acquired”) ;-)
Buttery-smooth, very light tastewise but with a heavy underlying strength. Very strong and relaxing Qi and with a lot of endurance!
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-yiwu-guoyoulin-eot
Flavors: Butter, Heavy, Smooth, Sweet, Vegetal
Preparation
Gentle and smooth tea with strong body and good Qi.
Image sand more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2007-mr-feng-fd-eot
Flavors: Leather, Smooth, Wood
Preparation
Very bitter in a pleasant way. Remindes me of the CLT Slumbering Dragon, but a bit more fruity instead of floral and good Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2016-kunlu-bitter-wild-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Floral, Fruity
Preparation
This is a heavy hitter of a tea. I actually got it because the slumbering dragon was too pricy. I need a few more solid sessions with it before I can submit tasting notes. It should be better now that it’s had time to settle.
Indeed! But I love it – it has a very pleasnt bitterness (like the Slumbering Dragon), opposed to the bitterness sometimes found in cheap/bad teas. If it is too bitter but you like the overal taste nonetheless you might try the 2017 EoT Jingdong Ancient Wild which is similar but a bit more tame and more fruity.
I had a good session with it the other day. It’s improved a bit since I last had it. It’s a lot more nuanced and smooth. The body feel this time was the most notable part of the session. Does the Jinghong have a similar body /Qi effect as the Kunlu bitter? I don’t see reviews on it yet.
Yes, it has a simlar Qi but not as strong as the Kunlu. You can compare my opinion on both here: https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2017-jingdong-ancient-wild-eot (German only atm.)
Nice tea ware. :)
thanks :)
Strong and smooth, spicy with a thick body.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2014-du-quan-eot
Flavors: Smooth, Spicy, Thick
Preparation
Very calm and balanced tea tastewise, but with a strong, underlying Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2008-mr-feng-selected-trees-eot
Flavors: Leather, Smooth, Thick, Wood
Preparation
Fresh, slightly bitter with a instense, rustic somkiness. Recommended if you like smokey Shengs.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2014-yunyun-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Smoke
Preparation
Buttery-smooth, fruity-spicy and slightly bitter-astringent.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2014-long-lan-xu-eot
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Butter, Fruity, Smooth, Spicy
Preparation
Spicy and slightly woody. Similar to the 2000 Kai Yuan Green Stamp, but much smooth rand more tame.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2000-green-peacock-eot
Flavors: Smooth, Spicy, Wood
Preparation
Warm and sweet with hints of dried fruits and relaxing Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2006-da-xue-shan-eot
Flavors: Dried Fruit, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Thick and smooth, pleasnt spicy woodiness with a good Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2012-qi-sheng-gu-eot
Flavors: Smooth, Spicy, Thick, Wood
Preparation
Smooth, warm and sweet with hints of apricots.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2009-mr-feng-bwq-eot
Flavors: Apricot, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Heavy and thick, tart and despite age still slightly bittern and astringtent with a fruity note.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2006-wild-peacock-eot
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Fruity, Heavy, Tart, Thick
Preparation
Tastewise very light but still thick with good Qi.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2016-wuliang-b-eot
Flavors: Smooth, Thick
Preparation
Velvet smooth, fresh and sweet.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2016-xinzhai-eot
Flavors: Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Bitter and spicy with a “hearty” taste.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2014-nancai-wild-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Spicy
Preparation
Very strong, spicy and woody. Despite age still quite astringent and smoky.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2000-kai-yuan-green-stamp-eot
Flavors: Astringent, Heavy, Smoke, Spicy, Wood
Preparation
Strong, bitter and heavy with a good Qi. This is what Bulang tastes like!
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2012-bulang-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Heavy, Spicy
Preparation
Strong and balanced, remindes of the 2002 W2T White Wale but smoother.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/2003-purple-peacock-eot
Flavors: Bitter, Heavy, Smoke, Smooth, Wood
Preparation
Very modest, smooth and slightly woody.
Images and more at https://puerh.blog/teanotes/1992-da-ye
Flavors: Smooth, Wood
