2011 Yang Pin Hao Jing Mai Raw Puerh Tea

So. Here I am trying this one again, and I’m getting very much the same as before.
It smells like raisin, and maybe clay… which is pretty accurate to the taste.
(NB: I did “wash” the leaves with a rinse)
My first steep was very raisin like, with a round, sweet base. The sweetness reminds me of what I think honeysuckle should taste like. As it cooled, a hint of clay emerged.
My second steep: less raisin, a touch more clay but only by a hair. The profile is even rounder still. It was sweet, but there was a hint of abrasiveness at the bottom of the cup… like coarse honey on the throat.
Third steep: Wow, this is very sweet! Cloyingly so. It’s very upfront, and constant through the sip. I’m still tasting raisin, behind the sweetness. The raisin and sugary taste seem related somehow… I find it hard to separate them but I know they are more side by side than one and the same. Clay is in there somewhere but wayyyy behind the raisin.
Fourth steep: Still very sweet, hitting the back of the throat now, where the abrasiveness was… and it’s rounder still!! but lighter. I’m having trouble placing the clay-ness here.
Fifth steep: Less sugary this time but it sticks around in the aftertaste. Not so much at the beginning of the sip where I get more clay. The sweetness now reminds me of stevia, only more natural tasting. (I still haven’t gotten used to the stuff)
There is also a clay like dryness. It just showed up in this steep, so suddenly! I had to down a glass of water after this cup so that the pasties in my mouth would go away.
I could have gone for another few steeps but I didn’t like the direction it was going. Still, I’m delighted at having made it this far! I’m bumping the rating a bit.
Thanks again Jerry Ma!!

About 3 years ago China Cha Dao sent out some puerh samples. I tried them, then put the rest in storage. This morning I was in the mood to dig in the poo drawer and try something I haven’t had in a long time.

I used my $7 yixing pot. It makes me happy. It’s 10 oz, so its big enough for an entire party in yixing circles. To me in amateur land it is the perfect personal size.

The dry leaf smells of hay. Gave it a one minute steep. The color is a warm orange. Wow this is still quite bitter when hot. I should have done a wash. So I added sweetener. That calmed down the bite. The taste is kind of raisin, woodsy, mineral, with a hint of smoke.

Looking forward to many cups with this today.

I thought my internet would be shut off this morning – I got the overage notice yesterday dated the 27th. They haven’t flipped the switch yet – so yeah!

A review of 2011 Yang Pin Hao Jing Mai (Raw Pu-erh) Tea by China Cha Dao

I am somewhat disappointed with the Stash Pu-erh and remembered I still had some of the samples from China Cha Dao store pu-erh and today I selected to brew their 2011 Yang Pin Hao Jing Mai.

I placed the leaves after having rinsed them once with warm water in pot to boil for few minutes. I love the teas’ color once brewed; a very dark reddish color and smelling of earth. I like this effect upon my nostrils so much so that I stood there over the stove just inhaling, taking a deep breath of it.

Anyhow, after sometime I did pour myself a cup of tea to enjoy. The rawness of this tea hits me right away; on first sip it is plain, musty with an earthy undertone. The more I sipped and allowed the tea to play around my palette the more I could enjoy the minerals it conjure…supplements like zinc and ion comes to mind and eventually that raw pineapple flavor I have noticed in the past from other pu-erh sampled came to be found in this tea.

I am happy to have a full pot of this and I can cook it again two more times. I must remember to note that samples from Cha Dao are usually ample. Thank you.

1st steep: 20 sec, boiling water. Not much flavor and not very pleasant.

2nd steep: 30 sec. Yeah, I really don’t like this, I’m not going any further with it. Yuck.