2009 Bo You * Mr. Huang Gang's F6 Ripe Pu-erh tea cake *

I got this one about a year and a-half ago and it’s only getting better. It has such a rich roundness with just a hint of sweetness.

Lot’s of cooked pu-ers have a kind of tobacco, wet cardboard, with essence of molasses taste. After having drunk some richer varieties, and perhaps with age, the tobacco notes have become more attenuated. There is no sign of errant fishiness with this cake. The cha-qi might clock in at about a 6 on a scale of 1-10. It’s a grounding tea, a winter tea, something that would go most excellently with rich meals, like after all those sweet yams and turkey on Thanksgiving. It’s an top-notch aid to digestion.

As for brewing, I have two ways of going about it. The first is the technical pu-er fashion by giving it only a minute or so and pouring into a pitcher, but in the winter I like my tea hot, so I place a chunk into my 20oz thermos and drink at will. About half-way in, I’ll add more hot water, as the strength and quality of this Bo-you can more than accommodate 30-40oz of water. Maybe my serving size is bigger than 5g., but not much bigger. The tea is just that good.

I think I’ll call this one the coffee experience. Or perhaps the Guinness experience. This is my first tea from the Bo You factory. It is now my current favorite. I am steeping it quite strong, and get a brew that is like coffee – slightly bitter, though smooth underneath, strong, and with chocolate undertones. It is a real keeper, and a bargain at just $20 from Yunnan Sourcing, though it is only available at their China site. I’m going to try the 2011 version as well to see how it stacks up. As mrmopar noted in a review of another Bo You tea, this coffee type flavor may be typical of this factory.