Where most cooked pu-erhs on dry smell whiff of fish and marinas, this one smelled like a lightly smoked Lapsang. So far, so good, I thought. I did about a teaspoon of shavings in a gaiwan, four infusions. That hickory sensation was present on the foretaste, followed by an actual earthy element (not a “supposedly” earthy), and ended on a non-astringent note. It confirms that a cooked pu-erh needs to age naturally for about a half-decade before it’s any good…on average.
2006 Nan Qiao Jia Jia Cooked Beeng Cha
This Nan Qiao raw puerh beeng (disc) is a good example of the high quality raw puerh that modern producers can achieve. Ready for drinking now but will improve with a few years ageing.
Buyer’s notes
“A good clear liquor, a slightly astringent taste and a sweeter undertone; all signs that this raw puerh will improve over time.”
