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1990's Small Yellow Label from The Essence of Tea

Steepster Score 2 Ratings Rate This Tea

80/100

1990's Small Yellow Label

Pu-erh Tea by The Essence of Tea

A nicely aged raw (sheng) puerh cake from CNNP Menghai area blended according to the 7532 recipe. The cake has been well stored and has developed a good aged flavour. The liquid is smooth, slipping down the throat and leaving an excellent mouthfeel and aftertaste.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I was told the price for this tea. In my opinion this cake rivals other teas of the same era that cost 4 times the price.

2 Tasting Notes

Jesse Örö

I just had a session with this tea.
My overall feeling is that this is nice tea, tastes like something I’d expect to pu’er from ‘90s to taste. Smooth, thick, slightly woody. Old tree deep inside of a dense forest, standing on it’s own in the middle of a forest opening.
Taste is quite simple, little too smooth for my taste. Presence of this tea is quite heavy, slightly disturbing in a way. Like that huge tree is blocking the sun, or something like that.
I’m currently looking for an affordable pu’er with at least a couple of decades of age, and this is one I am considering. I also have a sample of EoT Grand Yellow Label, waiting to be tested.
If you happen to have any suggestions of oldish sheng cakes that are around the same price category with this one, please hint me!

cultureflip
84

Opens with a soft perfumed must of old hardwood seasoned with incense. I love tea that evokes a monkish atmosphere. Calm, austere, and beautifully contemplative.

The taste is amiable and sweet with hidden florals and finishes with an interesting mineral hardness which spikes gracefully providing structure to an otherwise plush experience. The hui gan is shallow and simple but the mouth is left coated with a light and airy sweetness. Later steeps slide down effortlessly seemingly lubricated by the lingering silky mouthfeel.