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“I work with Garret and Sarah at Mandala Tea so I won’t be doing a rating – just personal reflections and a “check-in” on this young sheng. Method: 7g in gaiwan, boiling water, rinse followed by two...” Read full tasting note
“Vegetal, floral bitterness and some fruity earthiness; tingly astringency with lingering sweetness. Later steeps become creamy sweet throughout. https://www.instagram.com/p/BG7mKnUDR3X/” Read full tasting note
“While I have never ordered from Mandela, I take everyone’s word about how good their teas are. This tea produces a smell similar to the yellow pu’erh cake I have; which is intense. On my tenth...” Read full tasting note
“A nice smooth sheng. I really enjoyed this one opposed to some other shengs that I’ve tried recently. It has a great build up of buttery, vegetal notes.” Read full tasting note
From the second highest mountain range in Simao comes the material we chose for this wonderful Mandala exclusive! The mao cha (sun-dried leaf) was picked from 200 year old trees growing wild and naturally. Surrounded by floral and fauna native to the area, these trees grow in a pristine and remote area, far away from roads and pollution. This is some of the highest altitude pu’er you’ll ever find.
While we certainly look forward to what the years will bring to this fine tea as it ages, we are excited to drink it now. It has a wonderful energy, partially due, no doubt, to the clean conditions it is grown in. We chose the raw material over 15 or so other mao chas from the same area because of its rich aroma with hints of camphor and orchids. We are sure you’ll find the rich flavor very enjoyable as you let this tea lie on your tongue and pick up the agave nectar notes along with a smooth grassiness. These is no doubt in our mind that we will source more tea from this same village for more raw pu’er pressings in the future. We are impressed and know that you will be, too. May we share a cup together soon!
Company description not available.
250 gram Mandala Wild Mountain Green Raw-2011
Mandala TeaMandala Tea Silver Buds Raw 2011
Mandala TeaMandala Silver Buds Raw Pu'er 2014
Mandala Tea2011 Haiwan Old Comrade Remote Mountains Ancient Tree Raw Pu’er Tea
Haiwan Tea Factory250 gram Mandala Silver Buds Raw 2011
Mandala TeaMandala Tea "Heart Of The Old Tree" 2012 100G Raw Pu'er
Mandala TeaI need Sheng! This and Wild Monk are my default shengs and there is a reason for that. Hot damn this is wonderful!
I put 7 grams in my awesome red gaiwan, 212 water, rinse followed by two infusions of 30 seconds, then five 1 minute infusions
1st steep green and shengy with that little bit of pucker and the tinest hint of grape
2nd getting the green floral with a slight bitterness and a touch of camphor
3rd Oh hello darling – Ive missed you! Opening up into that sublime deliciousness
4th There’s the grapey lovliness I adore so much with this tea
5th – 7th Still the grapes with a stronger camphor note and the most pleasant bitterness ever. I’ve got the tongue tingle, the chi buzz, the warm feeling all through my body and THIS
is the way to start a Sunday morning y’all. I will likely sip on this alllllll day!
Garret – I appreciate you for many reasons – this sheng is most definitely one of them :)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125488674@N02/14663283253/
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OMG I forgot a song! How about the Zydeco Boogaloo? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZHnu_mgQBs
Flavors: Floral, Grapes
So cute! Happy Mandala sheng day :-) I had mine yesterday pretty much all day too!!!
More grapey flavors in a pu’erh! I will note this one to try next!!! Wishlist! Wooo!
@Sars – this was first sheng and still one of my very favorite. I LOVE this one
LTF – you did the Autumn Song right? I may have to have some that later
Well I have to order from Mandala again soon b/c I have decided that I simply cannot live without the Heart of the Old Tree. I am really taking a liking to pu’erhs because I feel like I can buy them, and not drink them all right away, and that’s totally ok because of the aging!!!!
I need some of that Heart of the Old Trees. I can’t believe I don’t have any. Right now I have buzzy sheng head and seriously – better than a lot of drugs I may or may not have tried.
This sounds superb. I need to add this to my want list.
The Wild Mountain Roughage? If so, YES you need this. It’s delightful. I’m ordering the Old Trees as well :)
Love this: “better than a lot of drugs I may or may not have tried”
Yeah, I am going to order more Mandala soon. Before I do, are there any other pu’erhs that you think I simply can’t live without, HoneyBelle? I want the Wild Mtn and more Heart of the Old Tree.
How about you, TTF? Let me know!
What I love: Special Dark of course, Imperial Bulang, Noble Mark(!), the Lincang. I have more but haven’t spent time with them – just got the Old nuggets. Shengs I love: THIS ONE!, Wild Monk(!), I’ve only done one roung with the Silver Needle – but I liked it, and I’m looking forward to the Autumn Song
Thanks so much! I did get special dark. Loved it. I also just received the wild monk, but I did not try it yet. I need to get over my desire to keep it in it’s beautiful wrapper. LOL.
I will check out the other suggestions!!! <3 <3 <3
Sarsonator, I loved all the ones MzPriss just mentioned…but I also loved Imperial Dark and Temple Stairs shou pu’erh which I only got to try lately. Yesterday’s session with autumn song was also unbelievable!
Sars – you wrap it back up in that beautiful wrapper so you get to keep looking at it :)
OK… I got temple stairs, but I’ll add some imperial dark, too. Thank you both!
And MzP… I know. I just think it’s so pretty that I don’t want to mess it up! I’ll work carefully. :)
Yes you have to be sweet with it, but you can do it!
Oh! I forgot about Lincang and phatty cake!! They are a little bolder though, having lincang right now…whoa!!!
OMG – Phatty Cake! How could I forget phatty caek? Probably because my cakes are in a box and I didn’t see them…
I need to quit typing because I am not good at it.
Typing is overrated. You’re good at tea. :p
I <3 you Sars
I will review lincang again shortly….YOU HAVE TO ADD THAT ONE Sars!
I’m about tmake my Dark Beauty cocktail. I told someone I would make a listing on here with instructions. I should do that today too.
Steepster ate my comment!!!
I heart you, HoneyBelle!
Lincang was added! Can’t wait!!!!
What is Dark Beauty??? Sounds deeeeelish!!!
OH well now. Don’t know about my Dark Beauty cocktail? I will (very carefully this time) tell you:
16 oz boiling water
1 TBSP Special Dark
Big ass pinch of Black Beauty (Mandala)
Steep that bad boy for a while 5-7 minutes
Hellllllllo happiness. I have it every, single. morning. Makes the world turn right.
I would like to the clarify the above statement. It makes the world turn correctly not right.
What a lovely picture of a perfect Sunday morning! I’m saving this for future use as a background on my computer. For the next couple of weeks, that place of honor goes to images of the Tour de France.
AWWWWWWW thanks Hillel – it was for Science!