This is my “tried and true” tea that I always go back to after sampling different types of teas or even novelty ones. I think it’s kind of a taste that you have to learn to love — as with most pu-erhs — because it’s not flavoured and is simply earthy and dark. I like it because it gives me a very interesting and sustained energy boost for a few hours without any sort of crash at the end.
It was one of the first teas that I ever tried (I skipped the bagged teas) coming from being a coffee/latte kind of guy, so I guess that explains my liking for the pure darkness of this one.
I’m still playing with the steep times though. Sometimes I only leave it in for 45 seconds (the first two steeps) but then with later steeps I leave it in for longer, sometimes 5 minutes. I believe most of the caffeine comes out within the first 2-3 steeps, and the strength starts to drop after the 3rd or 4th steep. It’s good enough to last me through a long day.
