I am guilty of buying this tea for two very bad reasons: 1) I was trying to impress the manager of the tea store by buying a semi obscure tea in order to potentially woo her into hiring me at her super awesome tea shop, and 2) It was in a pretty bag. I was under the impression that Pu-Erh was distinctly Pu-Erh because it came in the characteristic packed-cake form, but I learned today that caked does not a Pu-Erh make. This Pu-Erh came in loose form, in a cute red bag with just enough Chinese lettering on it that I felt my tastes were exotic and traditional but also enough English that I knew what I was actually buying.
First steep was terrifying, because it was quite unpleasantly bitter, something my previous Pu-Erh experiences seemed immune to. I was horrified that my pretty sizable new bag of Pu-Erh was going to be a colossal mistake. But second steep, much to my surprise because it was much longer, had no bitterness to be found! Just Pu-Erhy goodness. Third steep proved the same. Phew!!
I’m pretty happy with my purchase :3 Hearts to Pu-Erh!
