2007 Clouds and Fog

First, an apology to anyone who reads my musings (no, hecklers, not for their quality). I had a lengthy bout of congestion and other such complaints this winter, and didn’t want to post tea reviews that would be equivalent to movie critiques by someone watching a heavily occluded drive-in screen from a block away and making up their own dialogue. I wouldn’t class my reviews as being from someone who fully understands or appreciates the teas in full before putting electrons to “paper”, but I at least require one legitimate session before offering an opinion, even though I needn’t fear that I hold any notable sway over public opinion.

So, on to this tea. It was a rather humbling experience trying to suss out the correct way to describe it. This is due to a phenomenon everyone I know seems to exhibit, although whether it is an American trait or more universal to human nature I do not know.

The trouble I have with this tea is, it’s perfectly fine. It’s thoroughly acceptable. It’s quite all right.

But this is damning it with faint praise, is it not? I know if I asked someone whose opinion I trusted to describe the food at a new restaurant and they described it as “all right”, I wouldn’t go. If a movie is “fine”, I don’t need to see it. I only want the amazing, the truly noteworthy. I was sipping steep 16 of this, a plant someone grew almost a decade ago nearly half a world away, and it was enjoyable, but all I could think of was thicker liquor, longer lasting flavor, and evoking deeper feelings.

I have no more of this, and perhaps for the sake of the tea, that is best. May you find yourself in a more salubrious situation next time, leaves, and not with someone who views your merits as if through the haze of your namesakes. I hope I will become a more attentive drinker from this experience, and then I will look back on you more fondly than your otherwise limited charms may have merited.

I’m not a big fan of this sheng as more of a personal taste thing, but it is still a nice sheng.

The notes are of tobacco, incense, tangy cedar and echos of smoke and camphor. Tasted like this pu’er might of been pretty smokey at one point. Later steepings I get some camphor and hint of fruityness. It’s quite complex and interesting, but I’m not a fan of the tobacco and cedar combo (I’m more of a sweeter sheng fan, at least as of this time)

I’m actually new to raw Pu’er (sheng). My only other experience with Sheng was 2012 “Heart of the Old Tree” (which I found too bitter – likely too young). I was beginning to wonder if Sheng just wasn’t for me.

I was actually rather pleased, however, when I tried this tea. I had none of the bitterness issues, and I found that the tea continued to perform for many infusions. I stopped after 5 infusions, but that was just because I’d had enough tea – I’m certain the leaves still had more to give. Here are my tasting notes…

5 ounces of leaf, boiling water.

Two 10-15 second washes.

First infusion (25 seconds)
Nice light-brown colour. No bitterness. Pleasant aroma. Tobacco taste? Perhaps – but not in a strong, objectionable way. Pleasant flavour.

Second infusion (40 seconds)
Now a little darker – a medium brown colour. Detected more notes of cedar. Maybe a little bitterness sneaking in? Still pleasant.

Third Infusion (40 seconds)
Light brown colour. No bitterness at all. Flavour is still pleasant, but I couldn’t pick out any distinct flavours – just pleasant…I think I’ll have to move to a longer steep next…

Fourth infusion (1 minute 20 seconds)
Medium brown colour again. Cedar notes coming through again, although the flavour is clearly more “blunt” than at the beginning. Still fairly enjoyable.

Fifth infusion (1 minute 30 seconds)
Medium brown colour again. Again, still fairly enjoyable.

The flavour still has a “brightness” to it compared to “regular” (non-pu’er) black teas at these later infusions. This tea is making me think I might become a Sheng drinker yet.

Gongfu method. First steep water about boiling. 5g of tea. Two short rinses. 20 second steep for first drink. Tobacco. I taste tobacco. By the way, this is my first ever time trying Pu’er tea. The aroma reminds me of a fine cigar actually, before you light it. No smoke. It’s not bitter at all, no astringency. I rather like it. Second steep 25 secs. What a lovely light brown color. Second steep is a bit bitter. Huh. Third steep tried 15 secs, didn’t re-boil the water, it was probably about 200? Anyway, bitterness gone. It’s quite pleasant, calming down a bit. Can tobacco be sweet? There is something sweet about it. This tea is probably good for 20 infusions at least. Fourth: I got a wild hair and added two drops of honey. Tobacco-flavored honey. Maybe I’m just not crazy about Pu’er? I wish someone else would review this tea to give me a point of reference. I have two others to try, so I’m not giving up on Pu’er yet. Fifth: wow, this tea has calmed down a lot. It’s actually not bad now. The flavor is still one dimensional to me though.