Master Han's 2014 Wild Picked Sheng Puer

In late December 2024 this tea is singing to me of Mt. Ailao with first flavors reminiscent of forest floor, olive oil, minerals, and a complex flavor that reminds me of an earthy pekoe flavor profile. It is a complex tea, has a tingling sensation on the sides of my tongue, and to me, speaks of place. It seems in my view to be on the yang side of things for some reason. Intriguing and enjoyable.

Backlog:

I have really enjoyed the Pu-erh teas that I’ve tried from Master Han. I love that the aroma isn’t overly earthy, in fact, I found that this smells more like a green tea than a pu-erh. It actually reminds me of the damp woods in my area of the world – the Pacific Northwest.

A refreshing flavor that’s sweet and mild, almost champagne-ish, with a light, bubbly character. I taste sticky rice and sweet, buttered corn. Nutty flavors that remind me of raw, unsalted cashew. A very satisfying tea that, as I say in my full-length review of this tea – http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/07/06/master-hans-2014-wild-picked-sheng-puer-tea-from-verdant-tea/ – leaves me feeling more like I’m eating than I’m drinking.

It’s a very interesting tea.

The second infusion was less creamy and starchy tasting, this time I experienced more of a brothy type experience. I could taste notes of barley. Dry mineral notes. Gentle floral notes and touches of spice.

Please check out my full-length review (link above) for details on the infusions.

Time for my first-ever sheng (and really my first-ever puerh)! Sarsonator sent me a surprise sample along with a note that we should do a tasting together. So hooray! The leaves are large and fluffy and lightly colored. They have a pleasant hay or autumn leaf smell, maybe with some fruitiness included. Time for some gong fu!

Method: 4g tea in 4oz water, 212 degrees, 5s rinse/5/5/10/10s

Rinse (5s): Smells like a pond! I taste dried stonefruit, autumn leaves, very sweet!

Steep 1 (5s): autumn leaves, dried apricot, golden raisin, lightly vegetal

Steep 2 (5s): fruit leather, raisins/prunes, mild autumn leaves, roasty

Steep 3 (10s): very roasty, autumn leaves, sharply vegetal, astringent

Steep 4 (10s): roasty, autumn leaves, dill, parsley, slight floral, buttery

Steep 5 (10s): similar to 4 with some fruit leather

Steep 6 (15s): similar to 2 (dried fruit, autumn leaves)

Steep 7 (20s): light autumn leaves, herbs, citrus

Steep 8 (30s): fruit leather, sweet, leaves

Steep 9 (60s): surprisingly not that strong or different, similar to 8, astringent

Steep 10 (2m): deeper fruit leather, autumn leaves, astringent

Overall, there wasn’t that much flavor variation between steeps, which makes me think that Sars’s method of combining steeps into a mug may be better suited to this, or even a western-style steep. The flavor was largely fruit leather (which is like concentrated dried fruit) and autumn leaves with a roasted edge. Quite yummy! The only issue I found with long steeps was some astringency, but that may have not been the case if I’d done a long steep at the beginning. Thanks to Sarsonator for the sample and for trying it out with me! :D

I did this as a tea tasting with Cameron B. We prepped the tea similarly and then compared notes. Here are mine -

Method: 3 g, 3 oz, 208 degrees, rinse-5-7-10-10 seconds (blended to one cup), ru kiln gaiwan

Aromas: dried apricot, raisins, steamed rice, something roasty

Flavor: This is a winner, fo sho. This has a lovely and very pronounced fruity flavor and a really intense sweetness that lingers. As I said to Cam: I am pretty much chugging this because it’s so good.

The 5-6-7th steeps (10-15-20) are super also. These have less fruit and more of a brothy flavor. They’re very comforting. These steeps are more buttery. Cam said she gets some specific herbs. I can’t pick out the specifics, but this reminds me of a light soup.

It’s kind of like starting with dessert and then having your dinner. Which totally works for me! Thanks to Cameron B for tea tasting with me!

I received a sample of this tea from the verdant tea 5 for 5 special.

Utilized the entire bag in a 120ml pot, one rinse, and a 5s steep using just boiled water standing for a minute. Added 5s to each steep until about 4th or 5th steep. Initially, I felt a great punch of caffeine from the first steep that I’m not really used to with teas. Keep in mind I’ve only had maybe 2 or three pu-er in the past. Unfortunately, this tea didn’t really live up to the 20+ steepings that I read it could do per verdant’s website. This may be due to my own inexperience with steeping pu-er.

I also noted that almost right away during the first steep, I tasted the flavor I usually get with certain oolongs after the 6th or 7th steep or with any low-grade tea steeped western style for more than a few steepings. This flavor continued throughout the steeps I’ve had with this tea. I did notice some honey elements to smell and almond elements to taste, but not much else.

I was unfortunately disappointed with this tea. I may be steeping this wrong as I am pretty new to gong fu methods of making tea, or I may just not like pu-er’s. Either way, I’m glad I tried it, I probably wouldn’t buy it though.

I don’t really get this tea. It doesn’t taste like much and the taste that is there is subtle and leafy, but not really in a good way. Tastes nothing like the Shu Pu’erh tea I’ve had before, and this is my first Sheng. I’m not a huge fan of Pu’Erh in general, but this is worse than others that I’ve tried. Don’t take my negative review as canon, however, I’m sure some people really enjoy this.

Holy wow! I received a sample of this tea and decided to give it a try after having some problems trying to brew the WP arbor mist version.
I followed the package instructions by using boiling water, 10 second rinse followed by 5 second steeps in my ingenuitea.
I’m still getting used to the flavor, but the sheng feeling is great! My tongue got a little bit tingly there for a bit!
I definitely have to try brewing the arbor mist the same way.

I feel fantastic!
I love sheng! I’m convinced that it is the cure all, & if it isn’t, oh well, I sure do feel 100% better than I felt a few hours ago! I was really dragging, people, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open, in spite of several servings of black tea. I started drinking this Sheng, & in no time I felt totally revived. If I still have a headache, I’m feeling no pain.
The dry leaf is in Shades of green, gray, beige, & brown, with a fresh & tart aroma like newly dried hay & grapes. When I warmed the leaf in my yixing, I smelled banana cakes & a heady floral quality. If you’ve never had them, banana cakes are sticky rice with a piece of banana in the middle, wrapped up in a banana leaf & steamed. Sometimes they put bean paste in there, & you can put other things in them too. You can also make them savory, but they’re especially nice as a dessert, drizzled with coconut milk. My kids have always loved them, especially my son Drew.
5G + 4oz Yixing (rinse) X 5 seconds…
The initial steepings were mildly lemony with a taste of green banana leaf. I’ve been drinking this over the past 3 hours, just a cup here & there. I took a break to put a chicken in the oven, another break to pick raspberries with Drew. I continued to sip while paying bills (ALL of my bills are paid! Yay!). I also drank a few cups with dinner. I’d like to keep drinking, but I’m headed out the door, so I may have to revisit this tomorrow, because I feel like there is still many cups left :)
I really should start drinking Sheng every day, it always makes me feel so fantastic!
I think I’ll fill my to go cup & take it with me…