China Gong Ting Wang-OZ

What a great day! http://flic.kr/p/ccwmdJ (Ian with his Gaiwan)
Ian (my 11 year old grandson) and I went to tea at Happy Lucky’s Tea house. We had tea, and when we finished he had the WHOLE TEA WALL to choose a tea from as my gift. What does he pick? A PU-ERH! MY BOY! All on his own while I was sitting at the tea bar, he brought me the sample and asked if he could have THAT tea. I was dancing with joy, so thrilled!
We stopped at the Cheese Shop, the French Pastry Shop, then home. After setting chops to oven cook…we sat for a Pu-erh tasting before dinner.

The following is Ian’s review from my notes. My 11 year old buddy wanted to share his first ever Pu-erh experience!

I used a Gaiwan and there were 3 infusions at 1.5 minutes each.
The color of the liquor was light maple syrup, cocoa, light cocoa brown.

Ian’s Comment’s:
1. The first thing I tasted was water. Then, there was another taste like wet bark and a dry feeling. Something was like heat or fire.

2. I could tell right away the flavor popped. It reminded me of a smoky campfire in the woods and the leaves smelled like smoky leather.
(I added a little sugar to his tea) “WOW!” (He grinned from ear to ear) “That was good!It tastes like vanilla! I want some more!" He noted that the Pu-erh was making him “feel good”. (hee hee)

3. The last pour was a little lighter but Ian was anxious to have more tea. If it wasn’t dinner time I think he would have insisted on more steepings. The delight in this discovery was so much fun! I took a picture of him with his empty Gaiwan, leaves all wet at the bottom.

His last comment and the heart of the experience was…

“This is the best tea I have ever had!”

I haven’t been on steepster in a while, I apologize for that. It’s been hectic. Our littlest came down with a stomach bug & during that time I wanted to stick to the teas I know well rather than try anything new. I wasn’t in the mind frame, nor did I know if I would have time to sit and thoroughly explore something unfamiliar!

I have tasted this tea before, but one of the kids ran off with my tasting notes which had been scrawled on a scrap of paper that was apparently very interesting. So here I am now, tasting it for a second time & pretending it’s the first haha.

I’d like to thank Bonnie again for the lovely samples she sent me! (and Stacy too- I will be pulling those out of the cupboard this afternoon!)

I have found in my recent exploration of teas that I am quite fond of pu erh and this is no exception! Rich, earthy and silky it is so far the best pu erh I’ve tasted. Granted, I haven’t had a LOT of experience with pu erh but nonetheless this is definitely delicious. I even had my husband try a sip (telling him first not to sniff it because I knew the barn-y aroma would deter him!) and he thought it was quite good! That’s a big compliment coming from someone who hasn’t really had hot tea outside of the couple times I’ve had him try it (and isn’t sure if he likes it yet) :)

journalogging #2 of 4

This one is from a local tea house in Colorado that Bonnie was gracious enough to add in with the other samples she sent. Thanks!

Alright! This one makes Pu’er number two! So similar yet so very different from the first one I tried..

I should start by saying that although I wouldn’t undo this encounter for anything – now wouldn’t be now if then wasn’t then – you should probably stick to 1 tsp per cup like the tea house recommends instead of being savvy with a digital scale and thinking 3g is the same thing as 1 tsp just because you read it somewhere! ..insert anecdote about men and following directions.. Regardless and moving on, using 3g per cup will yield a blackened amber colored liquor that reminded me of the water in the okefenokee swamp from a camping trip I took with my parents when I was in primary school! (Although I’m quite sure this tastes miles better and the comparison is just as it relates to the color.)

My experience with Gong Ting Wang in the early western style steepings was reminiscent of standing on the beach in a light jacket waiting for a sunrise – the saline presence was light and airy like the breeze coming in off of the breaks at that time of day. Simultaneously, there was a humming profile of warm dark whole wheat loaf that had honey butter spread across and then was left to it’s own devices for long enough that the two had become one.
In the middle to later steepings, most of the briny top layer faded as a more velvety toffee sweetness carried the flavor arc to a deliciously subtle waning. Tasty!!

Thank you to Bonnie for this awesome sample ;)

This is one of the finest Pu-erh’s that I have had so far!! After brewing this exquisitely aged tea, the flavors are composed beautifully, of smooth, silky, earthy (but not musty), nutty, with vanilla like components in later steepings. This tea reminds you that it deserves the respect to be sipped and savored like a fine wine..to gulp this tea would be disrespectful ;) I wouldn’t mind drinking this everyday. Where can I get More of this Tea Bonnie !