50 Tasting Notes
Having a nice Christmas evening session with this. A good relaxing tea compared to the Last Thoughts this morning. Plenty of energy but not ass whooping energy. A perfect tea for a casual session with the family.
It’s odd that my mother can not stand this tea but was loving the 2005 Rocket Yiwu yesterday. I will admit the Gaoshan is a bit more earthy but I was still surprised to see such a night and day reaction. I have to admit, Rocket Yiwu is more up my alley, with the floral/fruity flavors and huigan, but the Gaoshan is considerably smoother and thicker in my opinion.
I think I experience more qi with the Gaoshan then with Rocket Yiwu. There’s a million variables to take into consideration when talking about qi so who really knows. But I think I’m getting more body effect from the Gaoshan, but more enjoyable flavor from Rocket Yiwu. So all in all I’m glad this tea fits my needs. But I may have to get the Rocket Yiwu as well. The two teas are surprisingly different from eachother.
Preparation
Definitely enjoyable but I think I’m still too much of a n00b to fully grasp a tea like this. I felt the same way about Bosch, its undoubtedly good but I don’t see why its great. It’s not mind blowing in the way Tuhao was for me. Im not saying one tea is better then the next, I’m just saying if they are, Im too much of a n00b to understand why.
To be honest. I have a hard time with this one as well. I’ve had it about four different times, but I can heavily relate to your take.
The Bosch and LT on the other hand are very much enjoyed.
Last Thoughts is heaven, no doubt about it. I think I enjoyed Bosch more then 72 Hours. But I’m glad it’s not just me! Although my perceived ability to judge tea is still definitely humbled.
I love this tea, but it is apparently at its best in five years. It is a fast maturing one, supposed to get sweet and thick.
Awesome. I’m going to save the rest for at least another year. Sweetness and viscosity is probably my favorite quality in gushu.
This tea steeps out like a champ. I used 7g in a 95ml gaiwan. When I thought I was nearing the end of the session (around 11 steeps) I gave it the ol minute long 212° heave ho and the soup just kept getting darker. I imagine I’m at 14 or more steeps right now and the soup is golden and deliciously floral
Pretty enjoyable fun tea to drink. I didn’t notice any overwhelming astringency or bitterness, although there is some there. Not overwhelming qi but it is certainly there. It didnt kick my ass but it had me feeling very invigorated. I haven’t drank many teas this age and haven’t tried any Yiwu teas (to my knowledge) so I don’t have much of a reference, but I definitely enjoyed it. I look forward to trying the Gaoshan Qingbing to compare.
It may be because this tea is more choppy than the huangpian in Basics, but I notice more sweetness, and more bitterness right off the bat. I also get a very nice lasting floral/fruity/sweetness that continues for a good half hour after each cup. I did not know huigan like this was possible in huangpian.
It has a pungent factory like tongue puckering punch (in a good way) also probably from the consistency of the leaves. As I continue drinking this I’m just blown away by how sweet it is. Once again so pleasantly surprised that a tea at this price level, and caffeine level, could be this good. I’m an insomniac so this is a godsend
Flavors: Sweet
Preparation
This is a tea that makes me very happy.
It has some similar character to Chawangshop’s 2015 Hekai. But this is obviously a whole nuva level. The huigan on the earlier steeps of this tea is reason enough to love it. It has very low bitterness and astringency for a tea with such a great huigan and mouthwatering effect.
I let my dad try this on the later steeps (7+), I don’t think he was as blown away as I was, but regardless, he kept asking for more.
Flavors: Apricot, Floral, Sweet
Preparation
I’m really enjoying this tea. This has been my go-to. It smells like a dry summer day on an herb farm I worked at one summer. It was a particularly hot/dry summer for New Jersey and the farm was kind of overrun with buckwheat. It was only a few acres so we hand weeded the whole farm, this tea reminds me a lot of that. Composting herbs, in a humid environment, that have been dried out by a heat wave. Which is a super pleasant thing to me. That is what I’m hit with upfront, then the apricot flavors come as time goes on.
This has been my go-to for everyday casual drinkin because there is no super subtle huigan or floral taste, so I dont feel too bad drinking this unfocused or on the go. Also it gives my spring tea a rest. I find it tough to drink very aged tea when its hot, flavor wise, and the fresh stuff is almost too good to have ALL the time
Flavors: Apricot, Compost, Herbaceous
Preparation
One of the better tuos around that age IMO.
Agreed, I’ve been crock storing mine for some time now. I can’t drink much aged in the summer either. Fresh Pu just works so well to cool me off.
Yeah I’m definitely happy with the price and quality. A lot tastier then the Xiaguan stuff of the same age and price. Cwyn, do you ice your fresh pu to cool off? Or is it just the nature of the tea?
It is just the tea. Really any green tea will do this. I have a lot of water retention from meds and health issues, it is worse in the hot summers. Old ladies have swelled up ankles, legs etc. it feels very tiring. Two cups of a strong green tea like fresh puerh and the aching goes away. I’m rid of the swelling in about 90 minutes as long as I’m relaxing too.
Interesting. Thats great it provides some relief. I just sat down to some Hekai and thought about it, and after the heat from the tea itself wore off, I did notice I was more a bit more comfortable .
Sounds like an interesting tea. Do you equate body to richness? Can you elaborate a bit more on the flavors you picked up? How many steeps does it yield?
When I said “body effect” I was talking more about energy and cha qi. The flavors are sweet, slightly floral and earthy like wet wood. I got about 8-12 good steeps out of it.