I am not going to do a normal review. See Cody’s comments on this one as he did a much better job at putting it in to words. However, I will say my conclusions are a bit different. This reminded me of back in the day when I bought a quality bottle of burgundy wine. By wine standards it was still a cheap wine but compared to my normal fare it was a giant step up. I opened the bottle. Poured in to the crystal wine glass. Swirled the liquid around the glass. Smelled. Took a sip and realized, I much preferred a cheap sweet white wines or the cheap concord grape wines made locally. I was not sophisticated enough for such a hoity-toity glass. Same here. I found this puerh to be too musky, musty, earthy. I love horse leather. Musty, not so much.
If you look close this leaf has a few yellow dots on it. This is a fungus growing on the leaf. It is known as golden flowers and is apparently considered desirable in some collector circles. Is it the source of the strong musty smell and taste? I don’t know. I appreciate the opportunity to taste 10 year old leaf and learn about golden flowers but just not a fan.
Score based on trusting Cody’s review.
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The “Golden Flowers” are famously found on Fu Zhuan dark tea. I bet it did lend at least a small hand in the flavor, as I’ve read it is an acquired taste.
Ahhhh so that’s what “golden flowers” are…that actually seems to explain a lot. I’m glad I didn’t know it was a fungus before I tasted it, as that would most definitely have changed my perception of the tea while drinking it!
Having done the Food Poisoning Diet a couple summers ago, fungus-y tea is something I can pass on without feeling like I’m missing much.
Wow, I have never even heard of it! There is so much to learn about tea!
I am so not sophisticated enough to even want to sample this one.
The “Golden Flowers” are famously found on Fu Zhuan dark tea. I bet it did lend at least a small hand in the flavor, as I’ve read it is an acquired taste.
Ahhhh so that’s what “golden flowers” are…that actually seems to explain a lot. I’m glad I didn’t know it was a fungus before I tasted it, as that would most definitely have changed my perception of the tea while drinking it!
Having done the Food Poisoning Diet a couple summers ago, fungus-y tea is something I can pass on without feeling like I’m missing much.
Wow, I have never even heard of it! There is so much to learn about tea!
I am so not sophisticated enough to even want to sample this one.