5 Tasting Notes
A 15 year plus old tea cake. A limited production from Menghai using aged leaves combined with large new leaves. The tea is exhibiting dust on the nose, with a ruby complexion in the cup. Consistently so, brew after brew, in an aged dark purple clay pot, around 200ml in size. Brilliant finish, and sticky in the throat, leaving an overall sense of well being.
Another two sessions with this precious tea before putting it to sleep. I think I’ll get a tong of this. The dusty aroma is even stronger now, using a pot containing a blend of blue clay and tuani. Even after being left overnight after 8 or 9 steeps, the tea continues to yield strong bodied liquor, perfect for the morning. Best purchase for a while? Maybe, will have to brew the 8892 to compare tonight.
First produced by Menghai after the name change to Xishuanbanna Menghai. Production started in ‘97. This specimen part of a tong. Slightly loose, and damp ’shu’ beeng cha. Quick rinse and first two brews were very dark due to presence of loose leaves. Subsequent brews mellowed out, with hui gan appearing, and slight ‘dust’ notes. Beeng has been opened to air and ‘re-vitalise’.
Brewed 12g of tea in a 350ml ‘seasoned’ pot. The first brew aroma carried caramel and herbs. Colour as a good cognac. Body was substantial, coating the tongue, palate and throat, creeping down into the stomach. Hui gan persisted and occurred in waves. Amazing patience with consistent brews up until the 9th, when extra time was introduced. We brewed this pot for 2 1/2 hours, until we lost count of the brews.
