I’ve tried a couple different pu-erhs, and some I’ve really loved, but don’t have a whole lot of experience with this tea, so I’m looking forward to see how this compares. I’ll definitely be doing more than one steep with this one. The loose leaves are dark, dark brown and have a fruity/spicy aroma to them. Promising!
1st steep: 3 minutes, 200 degrees. Dark brown, coffee-colored liquor. Not super strong taste-wise, but interesting. I’m getting spices (cinnamon and clove) and the telltale fermented flavor of pu-erh; not sour or yeasty, just earthy. So far, so good.
2nd steep: 5 minutes, 200 degrees. Just about as dark the second time around, but the aroma has really been toned down. The flavor is mild but still earthy, and retains some sweet/fruity/spicy notes. The combination of them all is a little like chocolate – an interesting effect.