Autumn 2023 Lao Man E small trees

A very distinctive sheng with none of the typical floral and fruity fragrance, more of a musky one. Strongly savory and mineralic, almost salty. Coupled with the medium to high bitterness that lingers in the mouth, it makes me think of olives oddly enough. Slight smoky-roasty leathery nuance. A slight hint of pastry sweetness? Interesting active mouthfeel, at once biting and oily. Good endurance for an autumn young tree tea,

I understand why William likes Lao Man E tea so much, as it’s the perfect example of his beloved concept of terroir, so different from most other areas outside of Bulang. The tea lacks the strong sweetness or huigan of some more expensive examples though, so it may come off as not balanced or more simple. A fun purchase nonetheless.

Deep, dry, roasted seaweed, woody, earthy, bitter and astringent. Hints of lingering sweetness and basil. This tea can quickly become overly bitter. It is really nice and punchy when you steep it a little under boiling and for shorter times. If you overdo it, you will taste nothing but bitter and astringent tea. While I enjoyed this tea quite a bit, I’m not recommending it as there are so many other cakes from Farmerleaf this year that I recommend more and I do not think this is an amazing cake for someone who is new to Puerh.