Denong Pu-erh Brick (2006 vintage - autumn harvest)

I thought this one was delicious. Very smooth and sweet for a pu-erh tea, I steeped mine in the gaiwan for 30 – 60 seconds each time.

The flavors are fruity, I definitely get the date flavor and aroma, or maybe raisin. The wet leaves are dark and smell of cocoa and the forest. A very rich and earthy cup. Bana gets my vote for some of the best pu-erhs I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I was surprised this one did not do higher in the other ratings. I think maybe pu-erh is an acquired taste…

I needed something to revive me today and this is helping, very uplifting!

This is a really lovely tea. Unfortunately I didn’t take notes like I usually do when I try a new tea, so I can’t remember my exact impressions.

However, I do remember being pleasantly surprised by how smooth and sweet it was. It was very flavorful and rich, like with a strong walnut and maple syrup notes. There was just a tad bit of earthy mushroom flavor that complemented the sweetness as well. Another complex, rich treat from Bana Tea Co.

First infusion: pretty muddy tasting. Really, it tasted like muddy creeks smell like. It wasn’t horrible, though -just weird to taste that so strong in a tea. It smelled and lightly tasted of fish. Got no sweetness from it.

Second infusion: Still smells and tastes a bit fishy/muddy. But this steep is much milder, with a bit of a pleasant but not quite sweet finish. I’m liking this more, we’ll see how the other steepings go.

Got a buzz after drinking; don’t plan on going anywhere.