menghai dayi (puerh shop)

Bought this in my recent order from Puerhshop. It is an excellent tea and I think has all the hallmarks of being a real Dayi. Puerhshop has been accused of selling fakes but I firmly believe that this is real. The wrapper and the seal were affixed in a manner of a real Dayi. It is a quality tea taste wise, although it still needs to age a little. If this is a fake it is as good as the real thing and that is unlikely.

There was a fair amount of bitterness in the early steeps that persisted for several steeps before transforming into a fruity sweetness. This was a highly enjoyable tea despite the fact that there was still a fair amount of fermentation flavor. You would think a 2006 tea would have fully cleared but this one has not. I would say the fermentation flavor persisted for the first five steeps.

I brewed this ten times in a 180ml teapot with 10.5g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse and a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, and 1 minute. I should add that Puerhshop sells this for an excellent price of only $34. It was a bargain.

Trying a sheng after being prompted by a fellow steepster to do so. This is a nice almost fruity tasting tea with an almost citrusy apple or pear note to it . Very little astringency almost as enjoyable as a dry glass of wine. Sheng is kind of “new” to me as I usually prefer shou, but I think I am going to grow to like sheng a little more after this. I think if I stick with sheng 5 years old or more I will grow to appreciate them more. A very nice evening tea.