83

Rinsed once with boiling water.

First infusion was alright, generally minerally but a bit blunt with everything jumbled together (possibly because I went a bit long – 10s steep + my pot has a 10s pour time).

Afterwards, wet leaves smell like something comforting like clean tobacco / woodsmoke. Faintest whiff of light, clear honey or dried fruit.

Second infusion is nicer, clearer and more interesting notes. All three infusions not bitter or astringent, only the very slightest dry, pleasant saliva-stimulating mouthfeel.

It’s my first time brewing aged sheng pu-erh in my Yixing zisha pot and it’s been a much better experience than the young sheng I tried yesterday (2017 Autumn Da Qing Gu Shu). I guess the age mellows it out? With almost no bitterness or astringency, this is a very approachable first sheng pu-erh.

Increasing rating from 81 to 83. (25 Jun 2020)

Flavors: Honey, Mineral, Tobacco, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 5 g 4 OZ / 130 ML

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Bio

Amateur tea enthusiast here. I told myself I would start with studying Chinese teas when I first encountered good tea at Song Tea in San Francisco in 2016, and it’s now 2023 and I feel like I’m still just beginning to scratch the surface of Chinese teas.

Maybe someday I will move on to Indian, Japanese, Korean, etc. teas…

For my day job I work in tech as well as write some fiction on the side.

The next step in my tea journey is to start training my nose with an aroma kit to get a more precise handle on floral notes.

My Tea Rating Scale: (adapted from @benmw)
100 : Unforgettable, life-changing tea experience.
95–99: Extraordinary – Beyond impressive.
90–94: Impressive – Deep complexity, extreme clarity, or unexpected discovery of wonderful flavor. Made me reconsider the category. Would always want to drink this if I had the chance.
80–89: Delicious – Nuanced, balanced, clear, and complex layering of flavors. Would probably buy this tea again.
70–79: Very Good – Nuanced flavors, perhaps not as balanced or complex as the next step up, but clear and very enjoyable. Would consider buying again if the price was right.
60–69: Good – Clear flavors, representative of the category, but doesn’t set a standard. Good as an everyday tea. Would not buy unless desperate (e.g. when travelling without access to better tea).
50–59: Average. Would not pay money for this, but would drink if it was provided FOC.
30–49: Below Average. Would not drink this again even if it were free.
0–29: Undrinkable. Could not even finish the cup.

Location

Singapore

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