Xi Gui Ancient Tree Raw Pu-erh Cake 2013

I’d like to thank the folks at Teavivre for choosing this tea for me.

This smells a bit floral. The flavour is mild, sweet, and somewhat green tasting. Another tea I like, but need to experiment with some more.

This came as an offering from Angel and Teavivre.

One thing I love about Teavivre is when they say sample, they really mean it…VERY generous size, they allow you to have a real gongfu session.

I’m using one full sachet for a 5oz yixing pot. The cake chunks are always separated with care.

After a quick rinse, steep one is a little shy it seems. A bit sweet, slightly fuity with hints of astringency.

It gets interesting at steep three. Nice body and texture to this tea. To me, it’s really fruity.

Like a blend of grape and apple juice…sweet and tart at the same time. The typical young sheng astringency is building up, and that’s something I appreciate.

There’s also a certain woodsy finish to the sip.

I lost count of how many steeps I had, but there were many.

I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you so much Teavivre for the oppotunity.

Thank you Angel from Teavivre for this sample.
I am very very very far from being an expert in Pu-erh. I am even an absolute beginner at this type of tea. I think I only tried one before this one.

First while opening the sample packet, the aromas are lovely as are the dark leaves, with some white points. Funny leaves. After steeping they are now so long, so green, still lovely.

I steeped this tea western style, 6 minutes as recommended and in a boiling water.
The liquor is very very pale, incredible regarding the dark leaves.
I add 2 brown sugar rocks and the liquor becomes now a pale orange.

Drinking it now it is a little bitter but not that much and a kind of special bitterness which adds personnality to a tea.
The notes are fruity : grapes and apricot maybe ?

This is a pleasant tea and ideal for the season, not too heavy, easy to drink.
I am knowing by now I can and should drink some straight pu-erh without fear.

Method: 6 g, 6 oz, 205 degrees, 15 and 25 seconds, yixing

This is quite lovely, like a sweet grape whisper. I did two steepings and blended them into my mug. The aroma and flavors were lovely, but very quiet. I did a 3rd steeping for about 35 seconds. This is way too long. Don’t do it. LOL. The tea became bitter at this point.

Stick to very short steeps, and this has a lot to offer!

It’s been a long & busy day, & so much still to do before I go to bed.
I’ve been drinking this tea all evening. The dry leaf, in shades of green & gray, has a fresh & sweet kind of aroma that brings to mind a spring rain. Although I was expecting a potent brash raw taste, the early steepings were very mild & creamy, & the flavor gradually built to an almost fruity taste. This is a lovely sheng, with potent energy.

Thank you to Angel & Teavivre for the generous sample!