China Aged Pu-Erh Celestial Tribute

I am at the end of an emotionally taxing week and I needed an uncomplicated hug.

For me, that’s what shou is all about.

I love that it is good for me, I love that there is so much pedantry and history to learn about pu-erh, but at the end of it all, what I really love about shou is that it is strong, mellow, welcoming and quiet.

Summer Vacation! My China installment tonight is a pu-erh sample I picked up from Meowster (thanks Meowster!) I have tried hardly any pu-erhs, and will admit of the few I have tried, they’ve been in flavored blends. It’s a tea I keep meaning to sample more but just haven’t gotten around to yet.

I am tired tonight, not in a great mood, and trying to fight a developing migraine (my job has been a butt to me about having chronic migraine, so if the pain keeps on I know I’ll be working through it tomorrow, even though I have FMLA on file for this condition from a migraine specialist that I have to travel two hours away to see. SIGH.) So I admit I forgot to rinse my leaf, and my brewed cup does smell just a little pu-fishy to me. Ah well. Your brain just isn’t all there when you are migraining.

As the cup cools, the aroma is a lot more earthy, a bit like fresh, wet potting soil, and my first sip has a deep, earthy flavor. It’s a very wet earth note, with a heavy mineral taste on the finish. There is also a subtle vegetal flavor, that comes off a bit like moss, likely because of all the heavy wet, earthy notes. I wish we’d get some rain as a relief from this unbarable heat, because I can imagine this would be a nice rainy day tea.