This tea is from one of the Wymm “Mystery Boxes”. The packaging was very clever: a folding cardboard box contained a number of packets that looked like folded up paper napkins, though I think the paper is the type used to wrap beengs. The folding was rather clever, though easy to figure out. There was no marking on the outside; you had to unfold the paper to find the name of the tea on a small slip of paper inside with the tea. I suspect the idea was to create “mystery”. It was kind of fun to unwrap the teas, but it makes it a hassle to find a particular tea. i wound up writing numbers on the wrappers and including the number with the tea name in my spreadsheet. That means I have to use my computer to select a tea, but that’s not too bad. (Wynn confirmed that this special packaging only for the mystery box – normal samples would be more conventionally packaged.)
The tea itself was very unusual. In my first pot, it was closer in taste to a sheng than any other shou I have tried. It seems that this should always be the case and it bothers me that it is not. In theory, the shou teas are supposed to have just sped up the aging that the sheng would undergo, yet when I drink a 10 or 12 year old sheng, it doesn’t taste anything like a shou. I can’t see it moving in that direction either.
This is my second pot. The first pot had hints of green vegetables, black pepper, and wood. Only two steeps had the fruity/earthy flavors I associate with shou. By the 5th steep, I would have thought I was drinking an older sheng.
For this pot, I did a very brief 2 s rinse. The first steep was brown in color, like a sheng, rather than red. No sign of the earthy flavors that shou usually shows, but also no veggies. The next few steeps became more shou-like, with a strong black pepper flavor and lots of cha qi. The fourth steep was red (like a shou) but more fruity and sweet than earthy. Long, pleasant finish. 5th steep is similar: fruity and sweet, but without the woody flavors I noticed in the first pot. At this point, it reminded me of some of my favorite shou teas: smooth and fruity but not earthy or bitter. At the 6th steep (1m), the fruit is about gone, but there is a nice woody flavor remaining, like a good aged sheng. Smooth and mild, like a good sherry.
I like the variety from cup to cup, though it makes it harder to rate. Also, the two pots were somewhat different as well. Partly why I love trying different teas.
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I recently read an article that agreed that sheng and shu are apples and oranges, no matter how long the aging.
That sounds vey unusual. I have never had a shu taste like a sheng.
I don’t want to over-sell the effect. For some cups, it was definitely shou-like, but at others, particularly after the 5th steep, it seemed more like a sheng. The oldest shengs I have had were around 2002, and if I extrapolate from those, this might be a 1990, but I’m reaching. The effect was more pronounced in the first pot, but I tried a second pot and still got the effect.
It sounds very interesting anyway!
ashmanra: could you send us the link of that article?
Dr Jim: thanks for the detailed review! I guess it depends on which sheng you are referring to? This matter is subjective itself, but our opinion is that most shu will never taste like sheng because of the quality of tea leaves. Shu are generally made with lower grade tea leaves. However, there are a few shu that are still made with gushu leaves. With on par quality leaves, the shu could achieve similar taste to those of aged sheng, but there will still be differences of course.
D
I have looked for it, but I was just hopping from link to link and looking up different things and I don’t remember where I saw it now! If I come across the article again I will try to post it.
I got this box of samples from Wymm Teas as well, but my little folded pouches were made with the paper tag sticking out like a tail to show which one they were. They weren’t hidden as in your case. Maybe just coincidence. :3
I really liked this tea. I found it more smooth, rich, and sweet, and less earthy/woody overall than most of the other reviewers seem to.
I recently read an article that agreed that sheng and shu are apples and oranges, no matter how long the aging.
That sounds vey unusual. I have never had a shu taste like a sheng.
I don’t want to over-sell the effect. For some cups, it was definitely shou-like, but at others, particularly after the 5th steep, it seemed more like a sheng. The oldest shengs I have had were around 2002, and if I extrapolate from those, this might be a 1990, but I’m reaching. The effect was more pronounced in the first pot, but I tried a second pot and still got the effect.
It sounds very interesting anyway!
ashmanra: could you send us the link of that article?
Dr Jim: thanks for the detailed review! I guess it depends on which sheng you are referring to? This matter is subjective itself, but our opinion is that most shu will never taste like sheng because of the quality of tea leaves. Shu are generally made with lower grade tea leaves. However, there are a few shu that are still made with gushu leaves. With on par quality leaves, the shu could achieve similar taste to those of aged sheng, but there will still be differences of course.
D
I have looked for it, but I was just hopping from link to link and looking up different things and I don’t remember where I saw it now! If I come across the article again I will try to post it.
I got this box of samples from Wymm Teas as well, but my little folded pouches were made with the paper tag sticking out like a tail to show which one they were. They weren’t hidden as in your case. Maybe just coincidence. :3
I really liked this tea. I found it more smooth, rich, and sweet, and less earthy/woody overall than most of the other reviewers seem to.