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Yunnan Craft out of kindness sent 5 blind sheng puerh samples with my first order 4 years ago. They wanted to know my thoughts. Several years later (such is the life of a tea hoarder)…

I present Exhibit A.

Observe the leaf — strong and healthy, fuzzy. Colors range from almost black to to silvery fawn. A mix of leaf and needle. Further inspection of the wet leaf halfway through the session yields a mostly 2 leaves and bud picking, large leaf variety.

This is an easy drinker, mellow. At first it is sweet and oily, medium-bodied and fluid, rather mouthwatering with a pleasantly strong tingling on the sides of the tongue. This texture transitions to some easy bitterness with brassy character midway through the session and ends as a sweetwater brew.

The taste does not vary too much. It starts out fruity-sweet with apricot and a general tone that is a mix of grass-hay-yellow apple-chrysanthemum — mostly a mild brown-tinged gold affair like the color of the liquor. A hint of clove.

With the first session in a cheap-ass ‘yixing’ clay pot, I don’t seem to pull much aftertaste. However, in a tiny-ass duanni clay pot, the sweet date-brown sugar aftertaste and returning sweetness emanating from the very back of the mouth are not shy. Also, in the cheap pot, the liquor is more refreshing and I notice much more of a citrus zest tingly bitterness. Tonight with the duanni, it is more fragrant and fruity in the mouth. Interesting, since duanni is supposed to mute aromas. Neither clay seems to affect the mild expression of mouth-cooling, nor the warm spice felt in the chest.

Overall, this is a very easy tea. It is one I would recommend to anybody who enjoys sweet but not syrupy young sheng and is looking to avoid a gut bomb of astringency. There’s a certain elegance and balance to this leaf that goes somewhat unannounced. It is not a bold and brash brew.

If I am to take a guess, I’d say this is Lincang region tea 4-5 years old (could it be autumn?) and Kunming stored for a brief amount of time before it landed with me. I’m probably way off! Too bad Yunnan Craft at this point probably has no record or recollection of what was sent to me.

4 more blind samples to go :)