Thank you so much to the Tea Merchant for such a generous sample! This is a bit of a backlog from yesterday so let’s see if these notes of mine make any sense. ha :P
1st Steep: Smooth, dark, bready. A little muted to be honest. Added some agave, spruced it up quite a bit.
2nd Steep: Cinnamon?! wow. First sip in and I’m getting some spice. Interesting indeed. I’ve never had natural spice notes come through so strongly before.
It’s sweet all on it’s own now. Agave has no place in this cup!
There is also some astringency going on here, and the cup is milder, and smoother.
3rd Steep: MORE cinnamon. When the cup is hot that is. After that, I notice an incredibly sweet, bready taste. Kindof like… eggbread?!? egg pastry perhaps? I’m thinking the pastry around the sides of a creme brulee. Could that be the honeysuckle mentioned up above in the description? Hmmm.
There is also a sweet aftertaste that builds. Like I just downed a spoonful of molasses. Oh and I’m finding a really tiny hint of menthol, also building towards the finish.
4th Steep: Super sweet to start. Almost fake sweet. There is still that lingering cinnamon throughout the cup. As it cooled, the sugary aspect was tempered by a distinct earthy note.
Menthol builds even more here. Finally, back to the saccharine aftertaste.
5th Steep: Malty?!? cool. So many things going on in this tea. I love it!
It’s still earthy, with some cinnamon and intensifying menthol. By now the infusions are much lighter.
6th Steep: More or less the same as my 5th, only lighter.
This is an incredible pu’erh. I am so lucky to have tried it. Thank you again to the Tea Merchant!
Rating: 93
Ugh, I have a long day ahead of me. Bbq hopping! it’s the distance between them that’ll kill me. Oh well, it will be nice to finally meet my boss’ dog, a beagle that is notorious for destroying everything!! Gonna be so tired by the time I hit my bed tonight :)
So glad you like pu too.
hehe me to! the pu is awesome!
Untrained ears would wonder about us.
hahaha! trained ears do too!!
Heck… I wonder about me to! :P