So this is the second raw pu-erh I’ve had in my life.
I looked at the instructions on the little sample bag – and it said to use the entire bag! I’m kind of glad I didn’t, because this tea is pretty potent as it is.
I forgot to smell the raw leaves before I stuffed the rest of the sample back in my cupboard, but the smell of the tea reminds me of hay mingled with a little dirt. The flavor is VERY bright! Very mineral, with a little bit of that hay essence in the back of my mouth somewhere. It’s actually fairly bitter (bag said steep 3-10 minutes, I steeped it for 3-4) and it remains in the aftertaste. Honestly, that astringency is getting in the way of me noticing much else. Are you supposed to steep shengs for less time, or is that just how this tea is?
I’ll do the second steep in a separate review. No numbers for now.
People who liked this
Comments
3 mins for the whole bag? Yeah, that doesn’t sound right. Usually with puerhs shorter steeps are recommended. When I do a longer wearer style steep I use no more than half the sample pack.
With Sheng, I always go on the light side, at least at first: 3-4G in a 4oz yixing or gaiwan, 10 second rinse, & steeps of 10 sec, at least at first. Otherwise they start out too intense for me.
3 mins for the whole bag? Yeah, that doesn’t sound right. Usually with puerhs shorter steeps are recommended. When I do a longer wearer style steep I use no more than half the sample pack.
With Sheng, I always go on the light side, at least at first: 3-4G in a 4oz yixing or gaiwan, 10 second rinse, & steeps of 10 sec, at least at first. Otherwise they start out too intense for me.