November’s tea of the month club package from Verdant arrived a few days ago. I would have jumped right on it, sampling and babbling incoherently about the wonders of the teas they sent, but I was busy then and wanted little more time to really focus on the teas.
This is the first one, and David’s notes suggest drinking them back to back, to enjoy the contrasts, etc
I have to admit, after my mind numbing puerh experiences recently, I’m a little nervous about trying pu’s that are new to me. Oh well, onward through the fog (yes, I just quoted the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, but if you aren’t a child of the 60’s, you probably missed the reference.
I like the idea behind this tea: In 2003 a rebellious group of farmers started their own pressings and told the big tea workshops to take a hike. It’s the locavore movement in China. As a person who eats seasonal produce out of her own backyard and tries to buy as much stuff from local producers as possible, I love artisans who produce genuine things, whether it’s tea, clothing, food, or whatever. I like people like that, I am people like that, and I love it when people find their passion and just go with it. I honestly believe that the Universe supports individuality, expressions of creativity and passion, and that all of our needs, desires, and dreams are abundantly fulfilled when we go for it! Of course, I can’t buy tea from local sources, because there are none, just like there are no bananas. So when it comes to things like tea, I aim for companies that truly support real people, wherever they may be, instead of big box companies.
This Sheng is very savory, with a strong green kind of a background flavor, like aging alfalfa and clover, and there is a smokey woodsy quality to it as well.
I’m starting to feel the ‘skull shining’ effect, so I’ll set it aside for now & try the other one.
