Asaf Mazar

sweet and fruity
Beautiful cake glistens with shiny silverish golden buds. Distinct, whole leaves are easy to pry apart, as expected from a stone pressed production.
Review is based on a few sessions using approx 6g/100-150ml water in 180ml duan ni pot.

Dry leaves in warmed pot exude a strong ripe fruit aroma. Certainly the most intensly fruity sheng I have come across. Sweet, golden infusions with a tangy apricot/orange character with a slight hint of tobacco and honey. It’s somehow more like a phoenix dan cong oolong than a pu er.

Clean and crisp with zero smokiness/storage smell. There is some astringency with longer steeps.

Seems to have a gentle qi and to be relatively low in caffeine. It does not appear to deliver as intense a shift in awareness and body sensations, and is not as not as thick/rich/complex as the better (older and pricier) shengs I have tried. All factors considered, In its age and price range I would say its solid choice.

In summary, this is a sweet, tasty, clean, very drinkable sheng. A great everyday tea and a sure bet for those used to sweet drinks and who are new to pu erh. I wonder if it will develop more qi, complexity and thickness as it ages.

been enjoying this one very much. It brews best in my burt duan ni clay pot from yunan sourcing which oddly enough looks exactly like the one in the picture.

The aroma of wet leaves for first several infusions is rich and deep.
Using min 15 sec steeps with 90 + water 100 ml/5g yields satisfying earthy brew.
It seems to last for about 5-7 solid infusions and then thins out on a steep curve.
If you keep the temp high and pot warm then there is no silty effect as I mentioned before.

Although I am sure there are more complex shengs out there, I think this one is a good purchase. If you want earthy coffe-like sheng this is probably for you.
Compared to 99 menghai the latter is more nuanced in flavor and aroma, and with a sparkling, (yet less robust) character.

tried this one again using 3 grams 200 ml boiling water 1.5 min steep (as directd on website buth half grams/ml)

It seems to be at its best brewed this way. Good for perhaps 3 steeps.

It was not that pleasant in the past when I tried a strogn brew using a big chunk with approx 80 ml water.

I am not particulalry fond of this one. will probably drink it mixed it with some low priced sheng I have on the shelf (fu lu yuan by royaslpuer.com)
on camping trips and other occasions where I dont want to risk misbrewing high end tea.

This tea was a big hit on Passover dinner, albeit speculatively non-kosher in certain circles due to the microbes and aging process. I dropped what must have been a 12 -18 gram chunk in 280ml glass pot, using 200ml water at boil. Seemingly endless infusions poured forth into the eager hands of guests. Four generations exclaiming their astonishment at the pleasantness of this newly discovered drink. Bright, complex, vaporous brews. Very steady and consistent. Simply marvelous and an excellent source of joy and togetherness on a family evening :)

glass pot, 6 grams, approx 150 ml mineral water
90+ degrees 3-5+ sec infusions.
very distinct ginger flower aroma. flavor and aroma are one and the same.
sweet. no dryness or astringency. vaporous quality. highly aromatic and pleasant.

One of my favorites teas by far.

broken up cake has been sitting paper canister for 2 days now.
Was easy to pry open with a makeshift pu erh pick made from a filed broken tipped screwdriver. (how romantic) resulting in only 5g of broken leaf+ dust.

dropped a 7g chunk plus a few loose leaves in glass pot, filled to approx 200ml each time.
washed the tea with probably 80deg water and let sit for a few min.

this time the initial warmed leaf aroma was not as stunning as on the first encounter with this tea , perhaps due to the fact that a large chunk rather than more broken up pieces was placed in a pot that was probably not as warm.

enjoyed several good infusions well received a group of five. smooth, well rounded, nice richness and depth. not an explosion of flavor and aroma yet certainly complex and satisfying.

I did my best to brew this one as described: 7g in 200ml for 1 min, 45 sec, then longer steeps with higher temps.
my friend quickly exclaimed that it tastes, oddly enough, like chicken soup.
It does indeed have a deep mineral salty aspect, and creaminess that suggest chicken soup – with wheatgrass.
smells like fresh grass- very vegetal as expected for a sencha.
after drinking several cups I fely very refreshed, cleansed, surprisingly keen and alert – as if my vision has become sharper and more focused.
very excellent re-set effect – like being reborn into the present moment. an excellent tea to restore yourself around 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. on a workday.
no negative ‘cold stomach’ low oxidized tea effects detected.

The distinguishing characteristics of this tea in comparison with other greens is the salty richness of it. gives the tea a deep, nourishing quality.

This is it: a pre 2000 sheng with wonderful aged character at approx 22 cents per gram.

aroma of dry leaves in warmed pot is simply fantastic and meets my expectations what aged pu er should smell like:
musty but not dusty or moldy, with undertones of tobacco, wood, earth, tangy aged fruit (menghai character?) and a vaporous velvety character.

now the challenge is to bring out this aroma and flavor as much as possible in the actual infusions.

I tried it once with approx 7 grams in about 120 ml 20 second steeps.
and once again with about 3g of broken leaf 100ml 1 minute steeps.

the second time it was more hearty, savory, and creamy. notes below are from first session.

balanced, plesant cha qi:
smooth and comforting to the stomach, and after initial warmth and slight sweating on first 2 infusions, there is a cooling sensation in the outer regions of the upper body. clear, stable mind, no jittery caffeine jolt.

flavor and aroma are a satisfying yet less intense version of the warmed leaf description above. if these can be intensified with proper brewing and/or ageing, then this could very well be an ultimate pu erh experience by my humble standards.

I love this tea and it is currently at the top of my re-order list.
If you live in Israel and want to try it drop me a line :)

beautiful cake with faint and very pleasing dry-apricot fruit leather aroma to the dry leaf.

Seems to yield the best results with scalding hot water , approx 3-4 g per 100-120 ml, and about 1+ minute steep time.
Full bodied, sweet floral. In my experience it is not orchid as in low oxidized oolong, more like bouquet of mixed garden flowers.

An enjoyable cake for its educational and novelty value and a good low caffeine alternative.

wonderful aged wood aroma to dry leaves.
highly reminiscent in flavor/aroma/mouthfeel appearance of a clean shu pu erh, so it must be well aged.
predominantly wood and earth characteristics. no smokyness, dry mouth or bitterness detected.
the best infusions are the first 3-4, where the vaporous quality is most predominant. afterwards, it becomes a bit ‘silty’/cloudy much like many shu pu erhs that I have had.

steeped about 10 mostly whole cacao beans in porcelain competition tasting set.

nice sweet tea with cacao aroma as expected.

the reason why I am reviewing it here, is because it appears to balance out the side effects of drinking too much caffeinated tea

I drank many cups of dan cong, until my hands were sweaty. just now, I drank a few cups of this, and I feel a pleasant, strengthening warmth along the sides of lower torso. a ‘refueling’ grounding effect. defininitely warming.

One the better shu’s that I have had the privilege to come across.
Clean earthy aroma. Hearty and warming. It Does indeed have a pastry-like character. Easy to brew and consistent across many infusions

This one exceeded my expectations.
One of my favorite shus so far.
brewed in kajmojive device using filtered water.

roasted, fermented grain malty, yes- I can see the corn associations here. Caramel goodness reveals itself in later steepings.
very clean with no fermentation aroma/taste.

a good tea for digestion, especially during winter months- when lightly oxidised tea should be consumed with caution by those whose digestion is sensitive to cold-natured food and drink

This is a truly excepectional sheng with strong floral aroma across many infusions and superb meditative cha qi.

I was fortunate enough to have received a 10g as a gift of this rare, expensive tea.

before reading about it or knowing what it was, I dropped half of these dark, long, substantial leaves and iridescent buds in a standard competition tasting set.

Set and setting could not have been better: alone on a quiet evening by the fireplace, following a meditation session.

Heavenly fragrance, mostly floral yet also fruity emanating from the wet leaves.

I happily went through about 7 infusions, 10-20 seconds each, each time amazed that the aroma is still strong. Soft, gentle tea. evokes a calm and serene state of being.

Being a young sheng it was a bit drying to the mouth, and I had mild stomach ache for about 10 min.
I awoke refreshed and took the remaining tea to the office, where after reading the description of this tea, and its price, I proceeded to brew it countless times to make the most of these precious leaves.

I am very glad to have another session left of this heavenly sheng. It is by far the most intensly floral pu er I have tried, and evokes a very nice state of being.

EDIT: I just tried this one again. this time in a competition tasting kit.
Its actually quite a wonderful tea, with a relatively aged, mellow flavor.
perhaps there was aftertaste in the water from the metal thermos I used last time, or my standards were too high because the last 2 teas I had before it were high-end shengs.
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Sorry, but I cant say I like this one. Something about it just doesn’t feel right. Doesn’t evoke the usual wholesome happy feeling in the body and mind that i’ve grown to expect from quality tea.
Its also thin and not as sweet as other shengs in its class that came in the same shipment.
On the plus side, leaves dropped in a warm pot emanate a pleasant, strong aroma surprisingly similar to clean shu pu er. After the wash, aroma is vaguely similar to fresh bread dough, also found in shu in my experience.
Flavor is tarry and slightly fruity.

Seems rather aged for its vintage, probably due it part to the light compression, or perhaps it underwent relatively wet storage or was made using aged mao cha.

Brewing params: the usual 7g in 160ml duan ni pot. boiling water. 3-20 sec infusion times. Used mostly loose leaves rather than a whole chunck from this lightly compressed sample.

One of my all time favorites. Very easy to drink and sure to appeal to almost any palate. Very high quality compared to other teas in its price range and above. Reminiscent of the taiwanese’dark pearl’ tea that I sampled about 6 months ago. http://www.palaisdesthes.com/en/taiwan-dark-pearl-2146.html

brewing parameters:
Grams: 5
Temp: 100 celcius.
Water: 100ml (approx) filtered.
Steep time: 2-15 seconds for first 6 infusions. 40secs-2min after 6th
infusion.
Vessel: standard competition tasting set.
Number of infusions: 10. First 7 had strong flavor.

Notes:
Dry leaf aroma: strong, deep, complex, rich honey floral.
Wet leaf and infusion aroma: same as dry leaf, with more sweetness, and
fruity-plum notes.
Texture: Sufficiently thick. Smooth. Silky around the 4th infusion.
Flavor: Same as aroma. Sweet, well rounded with seamless integration of
flavors. No astringency – easy to drink unsweetened even for non-tea
lovers.
Aftertaste: lingering floral aroma.
Body sensations: Seems gentle and soothing to the stomach.

By the 5th infusion, the flavor is plummy. subtle, yet distinct orchid
aroma rises to the nose seconds after each sip, much like the imperial
grade monkey king black.

Its no wonder that this black dancong is near the top of jkteashop’s hot sellers list. I quickly ordered another 50 grams to add to my premium stockpile, along with a few samples of other hot sellers. One thing I am learning about online tea shops is that it pays off to go for the most popular/highly rated. These are a safe bet and a great way to discover new gems.

I have this once so far using 7g in same yixing pot as the Fu Lu Yuan Bing Cha, and hotter water and longer infusions.
also, 3 of the 7 grams were very broken leaf.
I brewed the fu lu yuan at home by the fire place and this one at work- so environmental factors favor the former.

I need to experiment a few more times to properly review this tea.
Right now, it seems like a much less complex, generally lower quality version of the Fu Lu Yuan. Same orange colored infusions.
bottom line: If you are looking for an affordable everyday sheng, I recommend spending another few bucks, as well as precious shipping weight on the lovely Fu Lu Yuan.

Shipment of 10 sheng varieties just came in from royalpuer.

Lovely fresh fragrance of the dried leaves convinced me to start with this one. They did a great job at breaking up the cake. I received nice chunks with only a few grams of broken leaf.
dropped 7g in yixing pot.
smell of weal leaves after rinse: predominantly smokey flavor.
1st infusion tastes rather clear and somewhat mild. good thickness of tea liquid.

3rd or 4th infusion. I let it brew for 20-30 seconds. this was by far the best infusion, with thick, sweet, remarkably silky golden tea liquid that was a joy to gulp down. a few seconds after finishing the cup, a pleasant sweet flavor returned to the palate.

5th infusion- brewed for approx 1 min. some salty notes detected. sweetness and thickness declining yet still prominent. subtle orange fruit quality overall.

bottom line: a great value at approx $5 for 100g, tasting as good or better than other shengs that go for 2-4 times the price.
Well rounded with no astringency, dryness, or rough edges whatsoever.
Its not as strongly flavored or aromatic than the better sheng’s I have tried, but certainly complex and yummy enough to happily regarded as a good move to have gotten a nice stock of this one.
Its certainly much, much more flavorful and interesting that a benchmark 2009 vintage mengahi 7542. I have yet to sample the 2007 7542 for a fair comparison.

brewing recommendations: using plenty of leaf and long brewing times seems to bring out the best of this tea. it can handle long infusions easily.
will try even longer times in future to bring out more flavor.

A subtle, elegant black. Refined flavor. My favorite thing about this tea is the flash of orchid-like aroma that arises, seemingly out of nowhere, a few seconds after taking a sip.

Even when brewed strong, it does not get too black or weight the palate down with heavy taste.

Excellent price for the quality.

I just tried this one again using approx 5 grams in competition tasting set.
This time it was a rather unremarkable tea. It did not have the freshness and clarity that it did last night.
I dont know if this is due to brewing parameters or to different leaves. After all, its a blended cake.

EDIT: just did another session using about 4-5 g in competition tasting set. The flavor is mild. I am starting to distinguish the ‘menghai flavor’ after tasting about 4 of their shengs. the 7542 at this age has hints of an almost ripe fruit to it.

Highlight of this tea is the exceptionally clean, clear, fresh flavor and mouthfeel along with a hydrating, thirst quenching quality.

I’ve been looking forwards to discovering what this classic ‘benchmark’ pu- er cake is all about. Its still very young at only 3 years. will be interesting to compare with an older vintage in the future.

Brewed 3 grams in a yixing pot.

Flavor is surprisingly mild. no bitterness or astringency at the strength that I brewed it.
lots of clarity in the brew, as if it has less ‘tea sediment particles’ dissolved in the water than other teas.

Invokes a clear, fresh, slightly cooling, wholesome feeling in body and mind.

Most likely due to its young age, It does not have as strong or nuanced a flavor as many pu-er’s that I have had recently. Yet something about it makes me keep coming back for more. It seem to have that ‘umami’ flavor, and a nice, yet faint exhale sensation.

I just tried a tiny sneak-preview of this, putting about 0.5 gram of leaf in a small amount of boiling water.
Although I have yet to try a proper brew, I can already tell that this tea is excellent! Easily one of the best black teas I have ever tried.
Strong, obvious dan cong honey-flower fragrance, and…
much better flavor and mouthfeel than dan cong oolongs that I’ve tried!
This is much more flavorful, full bodied and smooth in the mouth.
Will be ordering a larger amount of this one to share with friends!

excellent tea. Strong, masculine character.
when brewed with care, distinct, complex aroma reminiscent of savory herbs with a touch of wet tobacco and a wonderful nutty aspect.
Can be smokey in the first infusions. less so after sitting broken up in a jar for a few weeks and brewed in yixing pot.
Long lasting, pleasant flavor lingers in the mouth. Fresh, expansive mouthfeel.

This the oldest sheng I have tried so far. It is also one of my favorites, due its strong, savory-herbs flavor and aroma. $16 for 100g of a 10 year old sheng with strong flavor seems like a decent value. I will be reordering this one.

Overall the flavor is a bit mild, yet the first 2 infusions often have decent flavor strength.

Brewing about 3 grams of this one in a competition tasting set right now.
Wet leaves after the wash have a wonderful damp forest smell.
Yummy semi-aged flavor with sour fruit notes.
Floral elements in the aroma. Fresh mouth feel.
Only slightly smoky on first infusions.
Note that the leaves were aged in mao cha form for 5 years before pressing. This is apparently a great way to speed up the aging process.

Overall seems like a good value currently at $4.50 for 100 grams.
Its nice to be able to buy a a whole cake at only 100 grams.