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Rainy day in Miami. Hot and steamy outside, cool and comfortable inside. Time to brew up my sample of 2006 Artisan Revival Stone-Pressed Shang…
Beautiful leaves with a lovely aroma. First leaves I pull out are a bud and two leaves—open and full; a good sign. Gaiwan gets loaded up, leaves rinsed, then a three minute steep at about 200 degrees.
Clear golden amber liquor. Smooth, sweet, woodsy and a lingering earthiness. Hmm, and an extra aroma of what… flowers in a forest? This tea is good… seriously good. In fact, I turned off the TV to really focus on my second steep.
There is that aroma again. Alluring and sensual. Taste? Even better! Same smooth woodsy earthiness, with just a hint of dryness, like fresh hay. It looks as if I am going to write one of those over the top reviews… for a tea I just met. I would write more, but I think it is time to go back for a third steep. :)
Preparation
The aroma of corn (or buttered popcorn, as another reviewer mentions) is almost overwhelming on the first steep of this puerh. I have to say that I much more enjoyed the multiple steeps that followed, where the taste of the tea could actually compete with the aroma!
It is earthy, light and a delight to experience. It was really appropriate on the Fourth of July, as there was no roasted corn on my table. There is a roasted corn drink that is made in Korea, and I wonder if it tastes anything like this? Definitely could not be as good as this wonderful tea…
Preparation
I totally agree that the aroma can be overwhelming at first. I think it is amazing that the flavor and aroma of corn is coming simply from a tea leaf! Such a unique tea…one which took me a very long time to really appreciate, and I’m still learning to appreciate it more all of the time.
This tea was too weird to resist! The first batch that I tried was so corny that I couldn’t bring it in, but this one seemed to be a great balance, and definitely a good illustration of how the flavor of a tea changes over multiple steepings. Tea is just THE coolest thing ever…
This IS one wild and crazy Tea! And it is done without mixing the tea with any novelty items or flavors. I had fun with this one, and will continue to have fun off the rest of my mini tuos. Thanks for keeping me smiling!
There is an herb in the southern Yunnan called Nuo Mi Xiang, or Nuo Mi Xiang Nen Ye, which is apparently used by the Dai people to cool down during the hot humid days. I think it is used in some puerh teas to give it a “glutinous rice” aroma — which to me smells more like popcorn. I wonder if it is used in this tea? There do appear to be more than two types of leaf in these — and they are still truly fascinating an delicious!
Very interesting. I will ask about it next time I talk to the grower. I know “nuomixiang” as “sticky rice aroma,” a common profile used to describe certain pu’ers. I didn’t know that there is a plant by its name as well. It does look like there is a lighter leaf involved. Whether it is a mix of two cultivars, or two different species, I will have to double check. I have seen actual rice in tuocha before, and rose petals. Thanks for the lead on this. I am glad you are enjoying it!
Alright, what I found out so far is that the leaves of the rice plant are picked and used for tea scenting. Sometimes a few leaves are left in after the scenting process. Scenting can also occur while the tea is still on the plant and growing, in the case of this pu’er, which absorbs the aroma of the corn that the farmers use to fertilize it, or Laoshan green which absorbs soybeans. It is possible that some rice leaf was added to bring out the natural corn aroma by giving it an earthy-grainy base.
End of the Laoshan Northern Green from Verdant Tea, but just placed an order for more… After several steepings, I was getting some nice citrus tones in the background, and was not ready to abandon the last of the leaves. Added a few pieces of dried Yuzu rind to make a nice tart brew – amazing. :)
Preparation
An interesting experiment today. In anticipation of a new package of fresh dried osmanthus flowers, expected to arrive from China in the next week or so, used my last pinch in my morning cup of Laoshan Northern Green. I was not sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised that the beany-vegetal tones of the green mixed really well with the honeysuckle sweetness of the o-flowers! A really nice end of summer treat. Of course summer here in Miami will stretch into December, but technically still, summer is over.
Good to know- Thanks! I love playing around with blends, as you might notice from the growing Alchemy line on the site, and love encouraging people to blend. I will have to pick up some osmanthus. Exploring the floral possibilities hadn’t occurred to me yet for this tea. I have been loving it with dried burdock. (In China they have something like burdock called Niubang, but it is much better. Do you know what we call it here?), and with a mix of peppermint and spearmint. Saffron also presents interesting possibilities…
I wonder if the Niubang you mention is the same as the Burdock known as Gobo in Japanese. The Wikipedia page just lists it as Arctium lappa : Greater Burdock.
Looks like you have been having fun with your blends! I had not seen your new additions and have to kick myself for checking in more regularly. Your site is really informative, entertaining, and tempting!
I usually reserve my osmanthus for oolong and white needle teas, but a friend in Suzhou mentioned that he drinks red tea with osmanthus during the summer, and it sounded good to me! I usually limit my additions to things that grow on my balcony or at my mother’s house like lemongrass, dried mango, mint or other herbs. I use a light touch since I really like the tea to shine through. I guess I could grow tea plants pretty easily here, and have seen that it grows well in some yards, but we have pretty poor soil, and no real change of seasons to speak of. It is something I would at least like to try at some point in my life!
oops meant to say “for NOT checking in more regularly” but couldn’t edit my comment …
Yes- I think the Arctium Lappa is closest. The Chinese listed was correct “niubang.” It tastes like graham crackers when brewed as a tea, and my memory of it is having it brewed with a bit of rosehips and goji berry whenever I was sick. If I even so much as coughed, my tea friends in China would dig out the niubang to steep for me. Good stuff!
Everyday that I drink this tea, I like it more and more. It has such a nice full body, and beautiful balance of strength and delicacy. If you like really good Longjing (Dragon Well) tea or high quality Japanese Sencha, then you really should do yourself a favor and try this Laoshan Northern Green.
Yesterday I received my first shipment of tea from Verdant Tea, and I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store! I quickly took a good look and smell of all the contents, and tried a pu’erh that I will review later. I saved this Laoshan Northern Green to start my day, and have to tell you that I absolutely love it. Beautiful aroma, rich and comforting.
If you like Chinese green teas like Huang Shan Mao Fen, LongJing, or Tai Ping Hou Kui — then you will probably enjoy this solid northern green as much as I do. This morning I tried it in three steepings, loading up my Korean infuser cup (from Rishi). Soft, rich, earthy, vegetal and a bit of mossy character coming out on the last steep. And if you seek out what true ‘cha qi’ is, you might just find it in this cup. :)
Thank you David for importing such a wonderful tea!
Preparation
I’m very happy that Verdant told me to rinse twice :)
My first ‘real’ infusion – post rinses – was quite pleasant – but still full of natural flavor! The aroma wasn’t overwhelming and the taste was a bit nutty with a tad of sweetness for a pu-erh. There was a slight earth-green type taste in the background, too.
More infusions coming soon…
I wish I knew about the rinsing process for this one, seeing as how I only did it once and got quite a bite out of it with my first sip. I’ll definitely try it again tomorrow!
yes, this one can give quite the bite if not rinsed. it has a lot to offer though. great tea :)
An interesting tea!! Very unusual. I think I love it. :)
I know I didn’t brew this perfectly. I just felt like I needed to try this today and so I threw it in my bag to try at work. (So my impressions are based on roughly 1 teaspoon of tea and 190 degree hot spigot water in a 12.75 oz travel tea mug):
It smells like freshly peeled corn husks!! With slighty sappy, crisp evergreen and watermelon-like notes.
Tastes delicate and sweet, yet somehow has substance. No strong floral notes or spice—maybe a wisp of clover and grain with a sprinkle of sugar.
I love the scent the best and I also feel very calm and centered while drinking this.
It looks like a full-size order of Late-Winter Budset Yabao is in my future!
Preparation
I too love this tea! The beautiful thing about this tea is that it is almost impossible to brew it incorrectly. It is so forgiving. Good description of it, too!
Yay! Thanks Nathaniel! I especially love teas that I don’t have to “baby”. This one is practially perfect in that way.
Ditto Nate’s comment. This tea is so ridiculously forgiving! I’ve definitely just thrown leaves (buds?) into a cup at work, and let them sit in water all day as I refilled with hot water.
The only way I wouldn’t recommend this tea is putting it into a fill-yourself tea bag. The ones I tried, at least, were made of a linen-y paper, and they ended up absorbing and masking a lot of the sugar-crystal sweetness and replacing it with..paper. Also, since the buds are so big, you don’t fit as much into a bag as you probably really need.
Glad you enjoyed this one! This kind of pu’er was the very first sheng I fell in love with, and my gateway drug into pu’ers. It’s so pleasant and forgiving; there’s no way to do it wrong, and everyone who tries it invariably enjoys themselves.
I’ve heard that Verdant is trying to bring in some Yabao pressed into bricks and much older than what they have already. If they ever do (fingers crossed!), I’d recommend you try some of that, too.
Hi Spoonvonstup (such a great name…how come I never thought of it??) I agree with you about forgiving teas! I think puerhs are forgiving in general, since they’ve had so much time to “mellow out”.
I don’t have much time for temperamental teas nowadays. So, to a tea, I say: “Just let me throw you in my tea mug and let’s see how you hold up!” ;).
I loooooooove Ya Bao. Lemoniness and sheng pu-erh. What better combination.
So excited to try this!! My first sheng puerh!
Parchment-like aroma. Tree bark and limestone. Slight cereally background.
MIneral-rich taste. Flavor reminiscent of a rainforest—all lush greenery rooted in rich soil. Paradoxically, though, it also tastes delicate and dry. I’m reminded of beautiful, papery moth wings.
Very interesting. I like it. I admire it’s complexity.
But, the aforementioned “creaminess” eludes me, right now.
It seems that my lazy, quick, western-style brewing has done this tea a disservice! :)
Preparation
Your first sheng- how exciting! You’re definitely starting at the very top here. I remember my very first sheng.. it was like sucking on a penny and an extreme lemon-flavored drying warhead at the same time- very bitter and hard to swallow. Wish I’d started with something like this!
As for “western-style brewing”? You’re right- a big teapot single steeping won’t give you all that this tea can offer. But don’t worry; you don’t need to run out and buy gaiwans or yixing clay teapots. If you can find a brewing basket Isomething like this: http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/finum-tea-brewing-basket.html), you’ll be able to conveniently recreate the gong-fu experience.
Just fill the brew basket with 3 or 4 grams of tea (1/3 or half way with leaves..about as much as you’d do for a big pot), and then set the brew basket in a personal-sized mug.
Pour in boiling water for a few seconds, take out the brew basket (you can set it on it’s cap!), and throw out this first steeping. It’s a wash to “wake up” the leaves, and it’s also like a little sacrifice for the sake of greater deliciousness.
Replace the brew basket, pour in boiling water, wait a few more seconds (5-10ish), and pull out the basket. Drink and enjoy in small sips, smacking your lips! The extra air will help you to savor more of the flavor. Plus, making the “yummy” sounds always makes things more yummy.
Continue re-steeping like this, adding 5 or so seconds each time you do it. Steep and drink until you just can’t have any more liquid! Feel free to adjust steep times, too. If it’s seeming too light, leave the basket in a few seconds longer. If it’s seeming too heavy, then steep for less time or pull out some of the leaves. Just aim for something that tastes great to you.
If you’re up for trying more sheng’s, I’d suggest going for Verdant’s Wild Arbor Single-Mountain Yiwu sheng. It’s a great representation of what more traditional shengs can taste like. It’s still really complex and lovely, but it’s a little more on the juicy/fruity/grape/apple side of things, with fun pine/cedar notes.
Thanks Spoonvonstrup!! Yeah, I’ve been eyeing those type of brewing baskets. But there’s even an instant “gong-fu” mugs offered by some companies—like Adagio’s mug. I also have a sample of the Wild Arbor—I’m looking forward to try all my sheng samples!!
Ah- those instant gong-fu style mugs from Adagio do work well. They’re especially good for green or white teas or display teas, since the clear sides show off how lovely the leaves are. I find them a little bit harder to clean than the brew basket, but that’s probably just because they’re a larger contraption (and I don’t have a dish washer).
Did you do the sheng sampler pack, then? Hope you enjoy them all as much as this one.
Yep, I ordered to sheng sampler. Such a good deal with the inclusive shipping and free sample (had to ask for the DIYI Cornfields since I love corn)!
I lovingly refer to this as “fake Dragonwell”, which pisses David off to no end. :-P It’s far greener than a normal Dragonwell; I find that they are usually nutty and subtly bitter. This is very green and refreshing…I even drink it iced! (Normally iced green tea just tastes like grass to me…yuck.) It’s almost a “cool” flavor, even drunk hot. It still has some distinctive brothiness like other Dragonwell styles; very thick mouthfeel. But it leaves a much cleaner sensation.
I’m curious to learn more about how you use Steepster’s raiting system. Your tasting note describes all positive things, yet the rating is quite low. Could you describe more about this tea that you didn’t like? What do you look for in a green tea that would get it a rating in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s? Which teas are these?
This is a better version of a tea that I don’t normally like…green tea isn’t my style, so to speak. So on the grand scheme of things, all teas included, this is a 68. If I were rating only green teas, this would probably be an 80 or 85.
Basically this rating number means “Something I drink voluntarily and happily, but don’t own or have more than once or twice a week.”
This tea is totally insane. At first sip it tastes like a good, standard, par-for-the-course green oolong. Then you swallow, and BAM! Candy sweetness in the back of your mouth and across the tongue. It’s not even specifically floral-tasting, just…clean and sweet. VERY sweet.
Love this tea.
Well, my original paper notes went something like “Hand-picked Spring KY: !!!!!!!!! Buttery flowers! Holy cow! :) :) :)” I say this as someone who is very cautious about floral teas. Heavy flower flavors are not my style. But multiple tastings with multiple infusions have certainly borne out my initial impressions!
One of the shocking things about the leaves, once they uncurl, is how very GREEN they are. They’re rich, spring, on-the-tree green…none of that dark or pale shadowy green in this tea. And they stay that way, 20 or 30 infusions in.
It is so very light. At first you feel cheated because it’s just hot water…and then a fairy comes along and breathes ever so lightly into your mouth, and hits the “top” of the palate. You feel it more in your head than in your throat…it’s buttery without being thick, floral without being cloying, and above all, sweetly clean. The flavor continues admirably through loads of re-steepings; over time it becomes slightly honey-like, and hits the throat just the tiniest bit.
Definitely an A+ tea.
EDIT, 8/11: Just showed some friends this tea, and was shocked by the strong tastes of lilac that came up. Previous tastings had come up with much stronger orchid and cream flavors, but the lilac was overwhelming this time around (in a good way!). It reminded me of that first warm spring day when you walk under a giant lilac bush and the smell envelopes you softly. The “white flower” taste of the first steeping or two gave way to that strong, sunny, “yellow and purple flower” sensation. (Seriously. It tastes purple. It’s bizarre.)
3rd infusion…
10 secs
Color: Dark(er) Brown…much like a hefty black tea
Aroma: Bolder Musky and a little less plum scent than the 2nd infusion.
Taste: Creamier than the last infusion, still very plum like with the taste, semi-mouth watering…
I really like this 3rd infusion, too, I would say equally as the 2nd infusion but they taste distinctly different. This is very nice!
Infusion 2…
8-10 secs
darker in color a nice medium brown
Aroma is musky and of PLUMS! Yum!
The taste is Plum-like and near creamy.
I’m enjoying the 2nd infusion much more than the first. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the first but the 2nd touches my heart and soul a lot more! :)
Upping rating!!!
3rd infusion coming soon…
1st infusion…
Aroma after infusion…musky, woodsy, raisins
Color…light reddish brown
Taste…fairly malty, hint of raisin or fig taste
I seemed to enjoy it a bit more after it cooled for just a few moments
5 secs infusion
2nd infusion…coming soon…
Preparation
Often when doing pu’er in such short infusions, I throw out the first steeping. This gives the pu’er a little more time to open up (or wake up! these sleeping beauties have been waiting years for their “prince” to come along…). It might seem like a sacrifice, but the first wash can be really helpful. That’s probably why the second infusion spoke more to your soul. The second infusion was a much better picture of what this tea’s personality really is.
Yes…I should have mentioned I actually tossed the FIRST first infusion…sorry…lol…
2nd infusion…
about a minute or so
darker in color and in flavor yet still mellower than I thought it would be but I am ok with that – it’s a nice yet different tasting pu-erh. The aroma is more like a pu-erh but still not something I can’t handle…I am grateful for that, indeed!
Multiple Infusion test on this one today…
1st infusion
25-30 secs
Smells a little more like Pu-erh than the other Pu-erh I loved so much from Verdant…but, just a little musky…not too much, really. It is sweet as well. There are woodsy hints, too. The first infusion wasn’t overly flavorful but the flavor I did get was nice and mellow yet semi-malty-sweet. The color of the post infusion was surprisingly near clear with a slight brown-yellow slash as well…stay tuned for more infusions…
Preparation
Yes- I remember the first time I drank this tea. The man who represents the tiny Xingyang workshop was so excited because I was telling him about coming off trying a bunch of murky shu pu’ers. He brewed this up with a sparkle in his eyes and held it up to the light. He described it as crystalline and explained that the opacity of a pu’er can be a quality indicator. If the pu’er is too opaque and dark,he explained that it was probably fermented too quickly and actually composted. This one is almost 15 years old, and still it is clear. That is good handling. I think you pinpointed the “mellow” flavor that Xingyang is striving for. They do very slow and long fermentation not in huge piles that are sprayed with water but spread out and allowed to absorb the natural humidity of southern Yunnan. The careful process prevents the pungent bit of the average shu. I have been on the phone with my friend at Xingyang, Wang Shilin, and he is sending me some more great stuff from their workshop to try.
That’s awesome! :) I LOVE to hear these stories!!! Keep them coming!!!!
3rd infusion
a little more than 30 secs
starting to smell a little more like a walk thru the woods! Sweet-woodsy and floral with a hint of ‘earth’. subtle but a change-up from first two infusions.
Not as sweet but still pretty juicy. Back to being creamy and smoother than the 2nd infusion tho. Interesting!
More sweet-floral notes are happening…but not overly-so!
I like this! Nice!
I honestly can’t believe this is a Pu-erh! Lovely! I’m only on my first infusion and I will say right away I am a fan…
1st infusion is light and sweet! Cooling…mouthwatering…creamy, even! Nice hint of floral in the aftertaste.
Multiple infusion notes coming soon!
Preparation
mmmm a pu’erh that is creamy?? huh, interesting. Is their shipping expensive?
FREE Shopping and samples with orders over $10 :) – not sure about overseas tho…where are you located again!?
Just found this…
Verdant Tea ships domestic and international, and gives you multiple shipping options in checkout.
-We are pleased to offer FREE priority mail shipping to anywhere in the United States on orders over $10. Priority mail takes 2-3 days on average.
-For important orders when you need a guaranteed delivery date and a tracking number, we offer UPS Ground shipping. This is $15, flat rate and arrives within 4 business days.
-For international orders we offer $7.50 flat rate 1st class mail shipping. This takes up to 3 weeks, but usually no more than two weeks.
-Free 1st class USPS international shipping is provided for orders over $50.
-For more urgent orders, we offer $15 priority mail shipping, which usually takes about 1 week.
All orders will be shipped within one business day, and you will be notified by email of the shipment. If you need your package faster than our delivery options, please contact us, and we will arrange express mail, or FEDEX for you.
I’m in Canada, Toronto. Is that “international”? we aren’t that far! lol
thanks TeaEqualsBliss! :)
I’m not sure how that works, honestly :) I’ll get an email addy for ya! Tell them The SororiTEA Sisters ‘sent ya’!!!
[email protected] – He’s super cool!!!! He’s also on steepster, too!
Ooooh, you rock TEB!!!
Hi! I am glad you are enjoying one of my favorite pu’ers. The creaminess is ridiculous considering that it is first a pu’er, and second, only 5 years old. I am saving up for a personal cache of this one to age.
About Shipping: I just looked up Canada, and the Post Office and it is actually cheaper to ship to Canada than other destinations. I could do free shipping to Canada, but it would be 1st class mail. Priority comes in at 11.95. If you would like to place an order, you can select domestic free shipping at checkout, or if we have to do a workaround, I will send you an invoice. In the meantime, I will try and figure out how to trick the paypal shipping calculator to allow exceptions (like Canada.) Thanks for the good question! My email is [email protected]
I just emailed you David, please ignore it… since you answered my question here so perfectly :)
thanks for the info! let me know if you figure out the workaround.
See!!! I told ya David was AWESOME!!! :) Thanks for the additional info, David! :)
Done and Done. I love getting questions, because I probably hadn’t thought about the issue before. I just created a shipping option in checkout for Canada only. It is free over $10, just like domestic. That should work.
Thanks!
Yep, sheng puerh and shu puerh are for pratical purposes two very different types of tea.
This Pu’er is redefining what Sheng can be for so many people. Glad to hear that you love it!
Take note of the description: “almost candy-like.” What an understatement!
This tea really does taste like you’re sucking on a delicious sweet piece of hard candy. And even more fun, the real heart of the flavors lies mostly in the aftertaste, building and building over time, blossoming up from your throat and the back of your tongue. Candy sweetness, orchid, lots of yummy brown sugar. What a treat! It’s hard to believe you’re not racking up calorie points as you sip this.
This is a sure favorite “traditional” tea for anyone who usually lingers by heavily-flavored only. A sure-fire winner at any little girl’s tea party, even if those girls are now all grown up. Feminine, clean and refined, without having any of the choking/heavy floral dustiness of grandma’s old perfumes. And the flavor really stays with the tea throughout multiple steepings.
This tea is very yummy iced, too. No one will believe there’s not a trace of sugar added to your brew. Just add some leaves to a pitcher or tupperware, fill with cold water, and let them sit over-night. Pour yourself a glass in the morning, and go relax in the hammock on your summer porch.
Definitely fun for anyone to try; guaranteed to please!
Yeah, it is a really, really amazing tea…and that is why it is the top ranked tea on Steepster!
A three minute steep time! That is something that I’ve never tried with this particular tea, and now that you’ve mentioned it I am going to have to try that out.
Nathaniel, you will have to let me know how your three minute steep goes. The Xingyang family workshop recommended 2 minutes, even in a small Gaiwan or Yixing for their pu’er, so why not this one? It is a good test of quality.
When I got this in, the woman who provides it in China told me that she took some liberties with my order. I had ordered an incredible stone-pressed brick, and was skeptical of any other, but when I tried this, I felt like I must have been in trouble, because it was too good. It took my wife to stop me from putting this on in private pu’er storage. I very glad that she did! More bricks of this one are on their way right now from southern Yunnan to exotic Minnesota where we are based.