This might be the last sheng pu’er from BanPen in my collection.
Overall, the tea has depth with subtle complexities. It is bright with strength in the aftertaste. Decent body. There is some bitterness as I’d expect but it is so well integrated I don’t notice it unless I pay attention.
Some of the more upfront tastes are sweet and plummy. I also experience playful and fleeting berry-like wild tea character. The taste flows so well into the aftertaste where it blooms with these amazing bright stonefruit and herbal-floral flavors, like crisp, warm apricot overlain by lavender, thyme, sage and blackberry leaf. A beautiful reverb effect occurs where the aftertaste flows into the next cup which flows back to the aftertaste. I’m currently sitting only 6 or 7 steeps in, but half an hour after the last cup, I have a vague taste of prune, tobacco, butter and sour orange in my mouth. Nice cooling mouthfeel persists throughout the infusions. Powerful energy. I liken the feeling to a happy, self-assured person, the personality whose presence remains after departure.
This reminds me quite a bit of Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company’s 2013 Banpen Raw but without the horrendous astringency and acidity.
https://steepster.com/teas/beautiful-taiwan-tea-company/85242-2013-banpen-raw-puerh
Right now, it’s too strong for my body but I would LOVE to meet again if it were under moderate humid storage and several years from now. My storage wouldn’t be able to change this tea into what I think it has the chance to become.
I’d love to see somebody else’s impression considering this was only a sample!
Flavors: Apple, Apricot, Astringent, Bitter, Blackberry, Butter, Caramel, Cream, Dates, Drying, Floral, Fruity, Herbs, Lavender, Mint, Orange, Peach, Plum, Prune, Raspberry, Resin, Sage, Smoke, Stonefruit, Straw, Sweet, Thyme, Tobacco
It is Chinese based company? If so, getting tea from them is too tricky for me. Customs are working very slow!
Yes, King Tea Mall is located in China. Speaking of customs, I hope your packages are only sitting in limbo and haven’t been snatched by the No Fun Allowed police.
My B&B tea subscription came without fuzz, although I should pay VAT, but, it was envelope. I hope that the packages will move on soon too.
I mean, I should pay on delivery, but nothing was demanded by post office at all.