304 Tasting Notes
I got this out with the “Chairman’s” . She seemed to really like this one a lot.
I got out 8 grams to start with. I gave 2 very quick rinses and let this one sit for about an hour. This is one of the oldest ones that I have had a chance to drink.
First cup. Brewed very quick. Color is a nice amber.
First sip, hit with flavors of earthiness, peat moss, a bit of sharp tannic notes and a hint of camphor.
This would be one a connoisseur would appreciate. I don’t think an inexperienced drinker would appreciate this. it packs a good kick. The Huigan is very noticeable and it really give a good “oily” coating in the mouth.
The Cha Qui may have to wait till tomorrow as the work schedule is only going to let me have one session tonight.
Yixing pot for brewing.
Flavors: Camphor, Earth, Peat, Tannic, Wood
Preparation
Chairman knows her job well !
Agreed as you saw on the pics. She was really “into” this one literally!
I would be too ;)
That pic was so cute! She seems like a great helper for picking out teas! :)
Does she try to eat the tea?
She just likes the aroma. I don’t think she tries to eat it.
Sounds tasty
Nice, I’ll put it in the list for the next order!
I brought this one out as the Chairman has been sleeping tonight.
I got out a big chunk, about 15 grams or so as I plan to brew this heavy and for a few days.
I gave a 10 second wash and then a 5 second one and let it set a good hour.
This one has the dark chocolate notes as well as some light fruity notes. Some bitterness but it is a bit early for that to fully come out if that happens.
This one coats the mouth well. The back of the tongue gives a bit of drying a little salty light taste note.
Overall nice not too complex but good with the tastes that come through.
Flavors: Dark Bittersweet, Dark Chocolate, Fruity, Salt
Preparation
Breaking this one out after teaching the "Chairman " to fetch a bit. Now if I can just get her to bring it all the way back.
Kind of like my progression a bit at a time.
I did this a few nights ago but I am starting new tonight. I got 10 grams out and put in the Yixing. I gave a very quick rinse and allowed it to set a while. I did a very quick steep with about 10 oz. of hot water. Very nice aroma and a pretty clear yellow brew. It give a very quick hit of slight bitter that goes away quickly. The sweet , vegetal and floral brew quickly pushes it out.
This carries a sweetness that would think you had put a touch of sugar in it. It gives a nice buzz and tingle about halfway through the cup. It has a little punch and a bit of the bitter pops back in or a second or two.
Nice and warming with a bit of “Liveliness” to it. Some butter notes in here as well.
Flavors: Bitter, Sweet, Vegetal
Preparation
What kind of cat is she?
She is a little ringtail tabby. Gray and White with darker Gray rings. Not sure as she was found as a stray abandoned by her mother.
i heard cat are hard to train. but possible. I used to love one clown in Russia specializing in cats only shows. it was amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6RYcvd9k9o
D’awwwww! My friend taught her two cats to fetch, and one was quite good at it. I believe, however, that they are now too lazy to bother.
I have read that some breeds are really easy to train. My cat acts a lot like a dog so I bet I could teach him.
I convinced the “Chairman” to pick this one for us tonight after she played with the catnip mouse that I enticed her with.
i did the 8 gram sample with a 5 second ’wash" and brewed it in the Gaiwan after giving it a 30 min rest.
The brew with the first infusion was a nice burgundy after a 5 second steep. It gives a nice brew. No of scents and nice to see in the cup. I gives a nice woody , sweet and a touch drying brew. It is very nice and a very smooth brew to be as young as this one is. Very nice and I am grateful for the one who allowed me to try it. Nice and Nice.
Flavors: Drying, Sweet, Wood
Preparation
what do you mean by rest? letting the washed leaves sit before brewing? and what does it do?
I liked this brick. I will have to break it out soon for a review. Tonight, unfortunately, I am avoiding caffeine. Tomorrow and the next day I am not. The early days are taking a toll on my tea drinking.
Yeah Kirk, I hit them with the water and rinse and it helps the leaf and flavor open up for a better brew.
Allan sorry as i know all about those early days. i used to get up at 1:30 am to get ready for work. takes a BIG toll on your tea drinking.
I think I will eventually have to buy one of these myself or split one. 2Kg a lot of tea maybe a 4 way split!
oh, i see :D
Do you have a tea fetching kitty? ;)
I have a tea “Picking” kitty. She still won’t fetch as of yet..one day..
Meow.
My black cat learned fetch with rabbit hair mice toys. But we had to sit in the same chair everyday and toss the mouse, and we had to sit in that one chair for him to get it as a routine.
so did you get to split it? this is unfortunately out of stock already
Breaking this out as the “chairman” indicated her desire for it.
I got 8 grams out for the Gaiwan and gave a very quick wash. The sample of this one I have is from the back circle/divet of the cake. it is probably tightly compressed so it may take a bit to unravel.
I let this one sit a while and then did 3 very quick cover it and pour it into the cup. Ended up about 10 oz. of tea brewed.
This one has a
light color that belies it’s age a bit. light golden and not as bronze as some other cakes
this age.
This one comes up with a little floral. citrusy. bitter and piney on the front third of the tongue. just for a second or two . It disappears quickly and goes slightly sweet on the back end of the tongue. This is light easy to drink albeit I like the kick some others give but in honesty I think as the compression loosens it will give a bit more.
A good tea for bringing someone into the field of puerh.
Flavors: Bitter, Citrus, Floral, Pine, Sweet
Preparation
I find that center hole piece is the youngest part of the cake by far.
Yeah this one went 4 days with 9 steeps on the last day before i wore it out. fantastic leaf size in this. Some as long and as wide as my pinkie finger.
I blind bought a cake of this out of boredom last week and did a quick sess last sunday but I was hungover or actually hadnt sleep yet from saturday night(still drunk?) so I dont remember anything jumping out at me but it woke me up and seemed on the fruitier side.
Broke out a shou for tonight and the clay pot for it.
I started this one out with about 12 grams gave a good rinse and let it sit for 30 mins before brewing to re-hydrate.
To be as young as this shou no off aromas or “metallic” as some have being this young. Did a 8 second or so brew on this one. I poked around the leaf in the pot and there seems to be a fair amount of green leaf in this. Lightly fermented for sure. light on the palate, hints of oak, dates, raisins and a slight caramel to this one. Very reminiscent of another great shou from a local seller. Nice and velvety. Easy drinking and being enjoyed. Full 10 oz brew with the pot. I should gongfu this at a later date.
Flavors: Caramel, Dates, Oak, Raisins
Preparation
I got this one in on an order today. Just don’t tell anyone I added it in.
Most of the time I let them acclimate in the “pumidor” for a week or two before I get into them. As I really like the shou version of this from the same year I said let’s toss it in the Gaiwan and give it a whirl.
I got about 11 grams to start with and a very quick wash to start out.
First brew very light aroma . Some decent color but it still showed its young age. The first cup was very mild with only the lightest notes of grass , slight smokiness and a bit of drying. The mouthfeel was ok but I think the rest let a bit to be desired. This may have happened since I brewed it right away after the wash. I usually tend to let them open up with the moisture for about 10 to 30 mins.
I let it sit, almost an hour and I am back at it.
Now with a little time and 5 second steeps it is coming out a bit. The color hasn’t really darkened. The smokiness has been enhanced a bit. It carries a bit of floral but only a touch. The drying astringency on the middle and back of the tongue more pronounced.
Final notes. Still young. leaf looks nice albeit chopped a bit. Should be better with a little age or time to acclimate to my conditions. I guess if I was sealed in a plastic bag in a box and tossed on a plane and shipped for about 3 weeks I would be a bit bruised and not ready to open up myself.
Flavors: Astringent, Drying, Grass, Smoke
Preparation
I actually bought this cake after reading Rich’s description of it.
I brewed it in the Gaiwan , 10 grams , 10 oz and a 5 second rinse. This is spot on. Fruity , floral and stonefruit. The taste of apricot as noted before is right there in the forefront. A little bit of bitter but definitely apricot. I love apricots and always will so I see this as one I don’t intend to run out of.
Flavors: Apricot, Bitter, Floral, Stonefruit
Preparation
ooooohhhh
That was lovely. very apricoty, i like it more than floral shengs. why didnt i post a note? Steepster was down probably…
Yeah I drank it 3 times before I posted. Had to make sure I had another one first. Greedy me…..
Im thinking too….
This is a good one!!
@mrmopar, you are right. That’s the reason I didn’t post the note, haha.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Rich you were spot on. Its a great one.
Breaking this out as a sample from finepuerh. It is a 10 gram sample that I purchased from them. I am brewing this in a claypot Yixing as the Gaiwan still has some unfinished brew in it.
The dry leaf looks a little different. It has some stems in with the leaf but I have had others this way also. I gave a quick 5 second rinse and let this sit for an hour. It has a subdued aroma of something akin to wet hay. The first brew came out a nice golden/bronze color. It has nice woody and camphory and light citrus notes to it. It gives a nice aftertaste that lasts for a while after drinking it. Almost no strong bitterness and a good feeling after drinking it. A testament to good storage on this one with no off notes or aroma. Multiple notes on this one and nice to drink.
Flavors: Bitter, Camphor, Citrus, Wood
Preparation
I love a good lingering aftertaste :)
you let it sit for an hour after the rinse to hydrate? that’s a long wait. I have been experimenting with waiting longer after the rinse with puer as well. otherwise the first steep can be quite thin.
Yeah Asaf, I do this most of the time. The rinse is always very fast and then what water is left in the leaf just kind of creeps in the when I leave it in the brewing vessel. I am like you and thought the first steep was thin. The wait time has helped some in this.
This is the I’ll be sipping in the next few days. :-D
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