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Xingyang 1998 Golden Leaf Pu'er from Verdant Tea
99

First let me preface this by saying that I don’t like to rate teas this high. I really won’t ever give a tea a perfect 100 score, so 99 is essentially saying that it’s the best thing I’ve had to date. A perfect 100 would in essence be stating that nothing could possibly be better than this tea in all existence, and I’m not ever going to make that claim.

I remember the first time David from Verdant Tea made me this particular tea. I remember the emotions it evoked and how it brought me back to a place of comfort from the past. I tend to relate things to good music, as I am a musician. When I write a particular piece I tend to write something that envelopes all emotions, making myself feel completely content, heartbroken, moved, and yet hopeful without sounding forced. In a weird way this tea does that for me. The aroma and essence of this tea reminds me of sitting in in an old library with books that have absorbed the flavors of the weathered wood surrounding them. It also brings about the memory of sitting on a particular dock at camp growing up, talking with my best friends while fishing and relaxing.

I think because of the pure nostalgia that this tea has brought about for me and everyone I know that has tried it, puts it in to a category all its own. It is not flavor, it is emotion, aroma, and beauty. I only bring this tea out ever so often for a very special conversation or time…to brew this everyday for me would be to make it commonplace, and I dare not offend the tea in that way.

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Comments

Spoonvonstup
Spoonvonstup 2011-06-12 12:18:53 -0400

I almost always forget this tea is a shu; it’s just so different and feels much more like an old sheng to me. More impressive is that this one was created in 1998, when shu’s generally still tasted terrible. I sure hope Verdant can find some more stuff from the folks at Xingyang, especially since they were creating such great stuff so early on.

Nathaniel Gruber
Nathaniel Gruber 2011-06-12 14:24:07 -0400

It’s true. The leaf material for this one is spectacular. I think the fact that the body and color of this tea are so light is deceiving. I have never seen a shu of this age act in such a pleasing and crisp way.

Spoonvonstup
Spoonvonstup 2011-06-12 14:44:41 -0400

Definitely. Most things I’ve tried in the States that are this old taste simple and predictable: old and like pleasant dirt. This one tastes old, sure, but it also tastes like you’re on a sparkling trip to the moon where you find a hidden library like an abandoned city that holds the secrets of all of your memories for all time. And you get to drink this feeling and share it with friends.
What will this taste like in ten more years? Will we even have the self-control to find out??

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Profile

Bio

I represent Verdant Tea (Minneapolis, MN) in the Milwaukee/Chicago areas. Spent a year working with David Duckler, picking his brain and absorbing knowledge…and well, here we are today :)

Anything I rank above an 80 is great tea. It takes a lot for a tea to get above an 80. Anything above a 90 is pretty rare.

The problem is that I have been spoiled by now, so you’ll notice that most of the teas I’ve rated are above an 80 or 90. This is because I’ve tried so many that rank below this region, but have not gone back to review them. Since joining Steepster I have really only spent time drinking really mind blowing tea.

Maybe I’ll get around to ranking some of those teas that I’ve had before that are a little less than exciting.

P.S. If you’re ever in Milwaukee and looking for someone to drink tea with for an afternoon, don’t hesitate to send a message.

Location

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Website

http://verdanttea.com/

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