pu-erh of the day. Sheng or Shou

And a few days ago: Crimson Lotus’s 2018 Manzhuan Loose Leaf Sheng

Last had 4 years ago. It has greater longevity and astringency is smoothed, however it currently tastes thin and inert. Considering this is maocha, I can only hope the leaf is in a lull and not emitting the Death Rattle of the Neglected and Unpressed from being stored all alone in a two-lidded ceramic canister with no attention paid to humidity levels since last drank 4 years ago. Good grounding energy like a respectable Bulang but softer in expression and not as intense feeling as some higher quality Yiwu region leaf. Manzhuan teas flow pretty well with my constitution.

Tea Urchin’s Ban Pen 2017 Spring

3 years later.

Really mellow for sheng. Smooth and light straw taste with gentle cactus bitter suspended in leafy-saponin alkaline depth. A touch of tart to make it interesting. Some raspberry is starting to come forward as it ages. No real astringency to speak of when hot but it does come through as tea cools to room temp. Huigan presents as an orange zest taste and tingle a few minutes after swallowing, letting quiet-cool date sweetness in throat poke through here and there.

The dry and warmed leaf smells more active than the taste and feeling. Right now there’s dates, cherry and and a hella whiff of kaffir lime. Smells like cherry limeade almost but the dates are the overriding aroma. There is some activity in the liquor — it’s a bit cloudy orange early on.

Overall pretty uninteresting at this stage, as it was when I first had it. By no means a bad tea, though.

Checked my crocks yesterday since it’s been so hot like 102+ for a few days. Hygrometer reading 68% humidity 85deg F with no added humidity. Dry season’s not so bad here being 30 minutes from the coast. Only around Sept/Oct is it bone dry. We’ve already had some fires in the region, though.

Forever hoping someone else will join me in transmitting pops and clicks into the void that is this thread.

Today is 2011 Chen Yuan Hao Jincha from mrmopar many suns and moons ago.

Gat dang!

Pure vanilla bean aroma. Aged Yiwu lovelyaweseome vanilla sudsyheadsaponin mineralsaline leatherwood rootbeer slight warm spice. Alkaline marshmallow fluff. Woody drying but coating. Bitter-salt in salivary glands tingle. Huah! Moderate camphor in chest. Great clean storage somewhere along the line. This feels really good. Calming grounding not excessively so but jaw-and-chesty strong without palpitations.

Drinking it first-ish thing sitting on the rug in the morning sun after cleaning the cobwebs off the outside of the house.

mrmopar — thank you 5? years later for a sample of this mushroom gem!

Sorry derk, although I have received my Farmerleaf order, I don’t have time for drinking puerh gongfu. And during the week I don’t have my teaware with me (in Germany). I will try my best start drinking them once my German adventure ends.

Saturday late morning with 2010 Gu Ming Xiang Xin Ban Zhang Gu Shi from Yunnan Sourcing, now sadly sold out.

mrmopar got 7/10 grams from this sample I picked up years ago, so I only had 3+ grams to play with. That amount was adequate for a very satisfying session in a 90mL pot. I love everything about this sheng. Exceptionally clean and clear liquor and taste. What bitterness is there gives way quickly to the perfect amount of sweetness emanating from the throat. The balance between the two is an elegant interplay. The tea flows with force through the mouth. It never bites but is smooth and swift in its expression like a rushing spring. My tongue presses against the roof of my mouth after the swallow, as if to seal a sacred potion in a vessel, then it relaxes as tingling and mouthwatering take over. I don’t bother with picking apart tastes — it’s one of those teas one simply sits with and appreciates. It helps me understand better how the Chinese seem to approach a tea and evaluate its qualities.

Based on this tea and GMX’s 2010 Ban Pen Gu Shu I would love to find more info on this factory and to try more of their teas.

2022 2222022 by White2Tea. Tea heavy 8g/125 ml; colder water — 90°C.
Short steeps 5/7/10/15/20.

5s: Nice mouthfeel, a little herbaceous, but not bitter, fruity underline. Refreshing, smooth, elderflower in aroma.
7s: Hints of grapefruit but no bitterness; round taste. So good.
10s: Same notes, but don’t consider it boring!
15s: Unlike previous session, I see this tea is mood lifting, so accessible for everyone I think. Soo smooth, slightly herbaceous, flowery, citrusy, round and smooth.
20s: Still going…
30s: Still going… strong.
60s: Fruity explosion with elderflower sweetness. No bitterness or astringency.
3 long steeps without timing.