Brewing this in a gaiwan, 8 second infusion and slightly increasing each time.
This tea smells very fresh. The fragrance of the leaves after a rinse is very strong, but I’m not sure quite how to describe it. It’s pungent… and somewhere between maybe grapefruit and cooked brussel sprouts. I know those two scents aren’t all that similar, but what I’m getting from this is something that seems like it has fruit, floral, and vegetal qualities and is on the pungent side of things. I imagine there’s an exotic flower out there that smells just like this tea.
The flavor is also quite pungent and vegetal, quite buttery as well, and has a good deal of lingering bitterness. It also has some hints of orange blossom (reminding me in some ways of WYMM’s “Cane” puer) and there’s a very mouthwatering sour/tart finish.
After the first infusion, the scent of the leaves is definitely more floral, not the pungent vegetal from before. I’m also reminded of grapefruit again.
The second infusion is very buttery and green tasting like the first, and the bitterness is a bit less.This is a very clean-tasting and enjoyable Puer.
The third infusion is a little bit sweet, then becomes tangy, and has a mild bitternesss throughout. Same flavors reminding me of a chinese green tea. Grassy with notes of green beans and spring-like aroma.
The fourth infusion of this tea offers more of the same flavors. The floral note is coming through more. All-in-all this is a really enjoyable tea. I can see why the Puer farmers drink it every day. If I could do that, I probably would too. I’ll update this review if I notice any surprising changes in flavor from here on, but for now I’m off to enjoy the tea without analyzing and typing after each cup. ;3
Flavors: Floral, Grapefruit, Green Beans, Pleasantly Sour, Vegetal
