I love this sheng so much that I have officially purchased my first full bing! I’ve never explored aging tea at home before, and I’m not sure if I really wan’t to become a collector who lives the whole lifestyle. All I know is that I just can’t get over how complex and delicious the flavours of this tea are, and I think it would be fun to watch it evolve over a couple years as a little project.
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I always brew this tea gong-fu style. I think when I first purchased a sample I used boiling water which was a mistake as it helped the astringent and bitter notes to shine rather than the more desirable ones. For this tealog entry I’ve used water that’s 95°c which seems to be the sweet spot. 20 second rinse followed by a 20 second first brew and we’re off!
The first thing I notice is how sweet, fruity, and leathery the leaves smell after waking up. The shift in aroma between the dried and wet leaves is stark, the dry material smells extremely grassy in comparison. The taste of the tea itself has notes of cherry, sweetgrass, and a soft leathery/camphor which all work well together to create rich flavour that ends with some desirable bitterness. The mouth feel is great, creamy and silky on the tongue and roof of the mouth (very similar to a milk oolong). The liquor is not very thick despite the creaminess which is an odd contrast. I also salivate a bit before that nice astringency takes its place.
While the flavours may be nothing terribly unique when individually compared with other pu-erhs, the combination and balance just makes me melt with happiness. My whole body relaxes and my mind calms down, sometimes I even feel tea drunk with some euphoria and caffeine. Excellent qi. These are the feelings I chase with tea and I’m just happy to have found one that resonates with me on this level.
Flavors: Astringent, Camphor, Cherry, Grass, Leather, Sweet, Vegetal
