"Zen Blend" Five Elements Puerh

This is as close to perfection in a ripe puerh that I have ever tasted. This is another one from Global Tea Hut that I wish it were possible to get more of. It is a blend of five different puerhs, all I think ripe or at least partially fermented. Some younger, some older. The first thing I tasted was bittersweet dark chocolate. This taste was notable along with a certain amount of fermentation taste for the first four or five steeps. Around steep six I began to taste an older tea that definitely seemed to have been wet stored. I got a distinct note of wet wood for another four steeps. After that it just got sweeter. In the end I gave this more than my usual. I steeped it fifteen times and it was not quite played out. If I could allow myself any more caffeine I would go back for more. I may choose to save the leaves I have not yet decided. I got my moneys worth out of this tea anyway. In the last couple of steeps it developed a fruity note as well. This is quite possibly the best ripe I have ever had.

I steeped this tea 15 times in a 100ml gaiwan with 8g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse and a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min. 1.5 min, 2 min, 2.5 min, 3 min and 3.5 min. There was still some color in the brew at fifteen steeps. I think I could get another two or three steeps out of it. I am getting some cha qi off this tea, not tea drunk but quite relaxing. More cha qi than I usually get off of ripe.