So now that it’s 2024, I wanted to try one of my Teavivre puerh samples I ordered last year. There are six of them. I wanted to try them close together but not all in the same week, so one a week sounds like the perfect plan. These samples are mostly Fengqing. I wanted to try the Fengqing that Teavivre had, because I was a very huge fan of their Fengqing Golden Buds Ripened Pu-erh Cake 2013 but also their Fengqing Ripened Tribute Pu-er Cake 2013 that they no longer carry. Hoping I like them because they are Fengqing and not just because 2013 was a lovely year for puerh. I’m expecting greatness from these samples! And I started with the 2014 Anniversary Cake.
It is very easy to break these leaves apart from the cake. But also the 10 gram sample doesn’t seem like much. In the past, I would probably use all 10 grams in a mug, but I don’t want to overdo it for these initial taste tests. I’m going to try to steep them all the same!This was harvested in 2014 and produced in 2018. Aroma of dry leaf – very bready, almost like raw pizza dough. Just the way I like it. And this is also most of the flavor profile — very bready and doughy. Very sweet throughout — maybe a couple drops of coffee. Very delicious — NOT A HINT of any negative characteristics. This is certainly an acceptable puerh to me. The second steep was the strongest flavored. The fourth was a bit weak for my tastes. It would be ultra delicious if I had used all 10 grams. I might just revisit my favorite from 2013 again, to see how they compare at the end of trying the six samples…
Steep #1 // half sample (5grams) for medium sized mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 7 second rinse // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 11 minutes after boiling // 3 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 3 min
Steep #4 // just boiled // 10 min
This is You :-D
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
shop.Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea.com
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandalatea.com
verdanttea.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
