I began my adventures with Chocolate Orange ‘flavored’ Pu-erh
about 9 months ago and fell in love.
It appealed to the ex-coffee addict in me. I had no idea that
there was a vast world of PU waiting for me to discover.
What I started with on my journey was the equivalent of a
Wine Cooler before my discovery of Fine Wines.
Without that ‘Wine Cooler’ though, I never would have developed
a taste and desire for what was under all the flavoring.
I’m indebted to the companies who introduce Pu-erh to people
like me who might otherwise might have passed it by.
I’ve been away from those first flavored Pu-erh’s for a long time, preferring straight leaf and natural blends from several tea vendors who do a really good job mixing Pu-erh with mint, cocoa hulls, other types of tea, roots, vanilla or spices. They are fantastic!
When I saw the Tropical White Pu-erh from Kally, it was too different (weird) to pass up. I hadn’t heard of a Tropical White Tea Pu-erh before and I was almost certain that I wouldn’t like it.
Tropical Pu-erh? Seriously?
Since it was a warm morning ‘Tropical’ sounded appropriate.
I steeped the leaves 3 minutes and made a small pot full of tea.
The liquor was dark and fragrant with a floral, fruity scent.
The flavor was sweet and smooth, like a golden delicious
caramel apple. (Golden delicious apples have a floral,
sweet scent and flavor that is unlike other apples.)
The caramel was light with no earthiness at all.
The tea had body without astringency or bitterness.
I kept thinking about the golden floral caramel apples.
There was a dwarf Yellow Delicious Tree outside my bedroom window growing up. It grew horizontally like a vine, held up by numerous stakes… filled with dozens of yellow apples ripe for pies, applesauce or added in my lunchbox.
Years ago, when I entered a Johnny Appleseed Pie Contest, these
are the apples I used to win first place. They melt in your mouth.
I added sugar and cream to my Pu-erh because I had a feeling that it was meant as a morning tea or dessert tea. It seemed right to do so.
I was waiting for bitterness, the one thing that I can’t
stand in flavored Pu-erh’s, but this didn’t happen.
I’m glad really. Kally Tea didn’t go too far with the flavoring
but kept this blend light and bright.
One good flavored Pu-erh and definately different than the rest!
