66 Tasting Notes
This is a very young raw (sheng) pu-erh which is quite astringent now (12/2011). It has a strong and vibrant flavor, green with a stony, earthy quality, and with a savory note that bodes well for aging in my view. I’m going to bury this cake deep in my stack and come back to it in four or five years. Very good potential.
Preparation
I purchased this tea on e-bay after being unable to find more of the 2009 version of this ripe pu-erh tea. (See review of that tea). What a difference a year can make! This 2010 version did not have the depth of flavor or smoothness of the previous version. I’m not sure if additional aging will strengthen it but tasting the teas side by side reveals a depth of rich, mellow earthiness in the 2009 version that is not present in this 2010 version which seems thinner and less rich. The packaging is somewhat different, so I cannot tell if this is exactly the same tea version, but they were both sold under the name Yunnan Moon from the same tea manufacturer. I am disappointed in this tea after liking the previous version as much as I did.
Preparation
A terrific tea with a distinct jasmine scent and taste. It is a delight to the senses. Using a modified recommendation of Mary Lou and Robert Heiss in the Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook I used 11 pearls for a 6 ounce cup, steeped for 2 min 15 seconds, and loved the result. This is my favorite tea.
Preparation
As I have become more familiar with my steeping preferences for this tea, I have become more and more impressed with it. It has a complex floral, earthy, and mellow flavor which is becoming addictive to me. I took this to a potluck last night, and quite a number of folks tried it, and liked it. I am increasing my rating of this tea.
Preparation
I enjoyed this tea for its color and smoothness. It seemed very “mellow”, had a slight fish scale aroma to start, and first steeping had a bit of astringency at the end. Second steeping lost the astringency. Deep color, pleasant tea shared with two friends and all of us liked it.
