This is my first aged sheng that I have purchased. I’ve been drinking it every few days for about the last month and the initial rinse smell comes across as the flavor of hominy or maize which I find odd because I don’t know that corn is a component of Asian cuisine. In fact I’m quite certain it is strictly “new world”. At any rate the tea has a good number of sticks in it but as mentioned the leaves are huge and seem to be rolled length wise so that even the leaves take on the appearance of sticks until infused and they open up. The wet leaves even after a few infusions seem to feel dry, and not supple which is likely because of the the age of the leaves. The liquor of the tea is very smooth and mouth filling, and almost crystal clear amber to a darker more stout like color depending on the amount of liquid in a white cup.
Wild Leaf, Sheng Pu-erh 1998
Pu-erh Tea by Red Blossom Tea Company
Harvested from the ancient tea trees that grow wild in south-western China’s Yunnan Province, our 1998 Wild Leaf came to us by way of a tea merchant in Guangzhou.
Crafted by the aboriginal people of Yunnan, the tea is a “sheng” or raw pu-erh – aged naturally – with time as the only catalyst transforming the tea from its nascent state as “mao cha” to its current light brown color.
We recommend this tea for the pu-erh collector looking for a reasonably priced “sheng” pu-erh for longer term storage.
This natural aging and the ten years since harvest means the tea has begun to settle – it still retains a bright sweetness, but is headed the way of a richer creamier infusion if stored for a few more years.
Water Temperature: 205°, or near boiling
Brewing Instructions: Rinse tea for 1-2 seconds. Discard rinse water. Steep for 1-2 minutes. Use 2 teaspoons (3 for a medium sized pot). May be infused multiple times.
