2012 Ku Zhu Mountain

Sample from 2016 Puerh Plus TTB.

I made sure to grab some Mandala samples since their store is only a few hours from here which as far as tea vendors go means we are practically neighbors. Plus I’m going to have to place an order some day for some tea soak anyway and its not like I’m not going to order any tea as well.
Im not very experienced with sheng, the vast majority of what I’ve had has been either very young (1-2 years) or nondescript (unidentifiable “green puer”). One of the things I sort of got a handle on while sorting through the TTB samples is how older sheng said start to smell when fermentation gets underway, and thus sheng smelled older to me. I brewed about 175F and didn’t rinse. The 1st cup came out with the fruity apricot of a young sheng. The 2nd steep was a bit bitter, but with an earthy flavor. A ruddy color started to come out here which continued to darken over the next few steps into a dark gold color. 3rd steep was tobacco, smoke, and acrid bitter. 4th became so pleasant that I drank it without taking notes. After that the tea smoothed out considerably and became a little sweet. There was also a silky texture to the tea. I lost count of steeps after this,but it lasted awhile. The leaves at the end of this were mostly green with some with dark purple brown coloration. There were quite a few fat buds as well.

Wow, I can’t believe that I am the first to review this. This is far too amazing to not be popular.

This beeng consists of long twisted tendrils tightly and thickly bound together. These knots are an array of autumn browns and gold. The dry cake carries a raisin and hot hay scent. I broke off a chunk and placed it inside my warmed yixing. I could hint at a very heavy aroma of thick damp wood and rich soil. I washed the dry leaf once and prepared for brewing. The tea session was very mild. I was given the impression that the brew would be thicker and carry some power. I discovered I had used too little leaf. I highly recommend more leaf (9-10g=100ml) and longer steep times(25-45 sec). Once I added another few grams this became an amazing brew. The corrected sip tasted of sweet caramel and plum. This brew had no bitterness and a slight astringency. The mouthfeel is something commendable. I experienced a thick tongue feel with a thizzling sensation. The qi from this session was intense and powerful. It starts as a long focused relaxation, and it builds into a rocket fuel sensation. I was giddy and giggly by the eighth steep #TeaDrunk. I am so glad I went with my gut on this purchase, and that I discovered the correct brewing parameters. This brew lasts a very long time, and it grows sweeter with each steep. This tea session also included a succulent tobacco undertone that lasts long in the aftertaste. I really really like this tea.

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