2005 Pu Wen Ripe Coin Pu'er

I have been searching for a pu’er to take the place of my coffee in the morning. I have myself down to a couple of sips but I haven’t quite kicked the habit yet. I think this would come pretty close. It has everything I love about coffee without the jittery over-caffeinated feeling afterwards. So when Garret included this as a sample, I was joyful.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Very smoky and so very good. I am a Lapsang fan so the smokier the better. This would be probably a bit easier to take for people that don’t like smoky teas because the smoke is not as in your face as with a Lapsang

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Still smoky with an almost leathery note. I can see this replacing coffee for me…if I had more of them. Goals I have them.

3rd Steep-1 minute
I love how this tea maintains its smoky flavor while gaining complexity. It’s sweet now and smells so good. Kind of reminds me of pipe smoke. I love that smell and it brings back such pleasant memories.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
The smoke is still there but not as prevalent. Dark chocolate notes are coming through. Probably my favorite steep so far.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Oh Lordy, smells like honey. Not sweet clover honey but something darker. Like leatherwood honey—my favorite. It tastes like it too.

6th Steep-2.30 minutes
It’s lost most of its smoke but now the leatherwood honey has transformed into a clover honey smell and taste. Kind of floral as well. I don’t think I will get much more from this tea—although I am tempted to try—but it ends on a lovely note.

I am borderline in love with this tea. It will be a part of my next Mandala order. Thanks to Garret for the sample.

Had a bromantic date with my gaiwan and some pu’er this morning.

Quick rinse ~ 3 seconds

1st – 20 seconds
Liquid is medium brown and maintaining transparency, this steep is a bit unruly and surly. Maybe I should have let this brew a bit longer, or rinsed it for longer, not sure. Flavor is leathery with some smoke but tastes unstable with a strange salty note.

2nd – 30 seconds
Characteristic of most pressed pu’ers, the color is pure used motor oil, completely opaque! Love it. Mouth feel is silky and the flavors have seemed to stabilize with prominent leather, earth, rocky minerals and cold campfire. That weird unpleasant salty note has disappeared. This is a very good steep and the cold campfire smokiness paired with the mineral rock notes has triggered a nostalgic memory from a whitewater rafting rip many years ago. Enjoyable!

3rd – 45 seconds
The cake has completely broken up. Still opaque and silky, the flavor has edged off just a nudge but it now feels completely mature. This is my favorite steep. All the previous flavors are still present but with a more earthy tone creeping in. This tea would pair nicely with some bbq pork…

4th – 60 seconds
There is light at the end of the tunnel, I am starting to see the bottom of my 2 ounce cup! The flavors are beginning to lighten up as well, but an earthy and smokey taste lingers. Pleasing.

5th – 90 seconds
Back to transparency, noticeably thin with a smokey after taste that reminds me of a watered down lapsang souchong. Still drinkable but I’m going to call it here.

Overall an enjoyable cuppa, and similar to a few other pressed ripe pu’ers I have tried. While its a great representation of the class, this tea doesn’t really blow me away, or bring anything terribly unusual to the table. Aside from the surly first steep – which i’m sure there is a way around – this tea offers a solid and pleasing cup of pressed ripe pu’er.

I don’t feel comfortable rating this tea quite yet until I give it a few more tastings.