I was really excited to try another ripe puerh after loving Mandala’s Year of the Dragon. So I chose this one to do next, since I know it has a following here on Steepster. This is a loose leaf puerh as opposed to a piece broken off of a cake. The leaves are medium-sized and a slightly metallic golden brown in color. Their dry scent is rather sweet and cocoa-y. I followed the recommended steep again, using half of the sample and doing a 10s rinse this time. Three steeps: 30, 45, and 60s.
The aroma is surprisingly honey-like. It smells strongly of dark raw honey with additional grain and dark cocoa notes. Hmm… I’m not sure what to say regarding this tea. In all three steeps that I did, it came out rather bitter, which I did not enjoy. I realize that super dark chocolate is bitter, and there is a cocoa note here, but I just couldn’t get past that bitter taste. The first steep was a little musty, which I think means I didn’t do a long enough rinse. This tea is also quite woody in a rough way, very different from the Year of the Dragon’s wood note. There’s a bit of hay and grain, but I didn’t really taste them until the end of the sip because of the bitterness.
I feel like I shouldn’t rate this right now. I’m going to try it western-style and see if that helps with the bitterness somehow… :(
Flavors: Bitter, Cocoa, Grain, Hay, Wood
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Cameron – if it’s the chocolate notes that seem bitter to you, then I wouldn’t western steep this as long as I do – the longer western steep brings out MORE of those chocolate notes. I LOVE dark chocolate, but if that’s what you don’t like, I would try adding a touch of sweet?
I like dark chocolate… It was just bitter to me.
Hmmmmmm dunno – interesting though how different people get different perceptions of something.
Well, I’ll definitely try the long steep and see if I like it better that way. If not, I guess it’s just not for me. :)
Maybe if you tried adding milk, or almond milk? I think I’ve read of others doing that.
Someone recently reviewed this and said it was too dark for them, so you’re probably not alone. Now I’m curious…gotta try my sample.
I made this one last week with very short steeps and I don’t remember it being overly bitter. You might try 10 or 15 sec steeps.
I used the parameters recommended by Mandala. I think this one just isn’t for me. :P
Cameron – if it’s the chocolate notes that seem bitter to you, then I wouldn’t western steep this as long as I do – the longer western steep brings out MORE of those chocolate notes. I LOVE dark chocolate, but if that’s what you don’t like, I would try adding a touch of sweet?
I like dark chocolate… It was just bitter to me.
Hmmmmmm dunno – interesting though how different people get different perceptions of something.
Well, I’ll definitely try the long steep and see if I like it better that way. If not, I guess it’s just not for me. :)
Maybe if you tried adding milk, or almond milk? I think I’ve read of others doing that.
Someone recently reviewed this and said it was too dark for them, so you’re probably not alone. Now I’m curious…gotta try my sample.
I made this one last week with very short steeps and I don’t remember it being overly bitter. You might try 10 or 15 sec steeps.
I used the parameters recommended by Mandala. I think this one just isn’t for me. :P