72 Tasting Notes
Scent-wise this dark buddy exhales such a sweet thick earthy bouquet with deliciously deep notes of marshmallows and bourbon vanilla. This whole construct changes a bit within later infusions into a more medicinal aroma with a hint of licorice.
Further on within the actual tasting and steaming scenting phase a very dense forest earthy melody whistles like a really spice strong balsamic breeze over the mossy surface of a with rain soaked jungle covered in mist. This is without a doubt a very rich and well balanced Shou with first impressions of shiitake mushrooms grown on old with moss covered tree barks while a from the mountain leading pure fresh creek wriggles its way through the thickness of this evergreen forest. With its deep creamy texture it literally develops a tingling sensation on your tongue and palatal. On one side it started with balsamic woodsy roots it soon transforms further into a quite milky chocolate note with hints of caramel and vanilla. The aftertaste is very long lasting as expected within a great fusion of sweet and earthy components.
Warming your body and soul it is easy to fall in love with this fellow which makes him a great beginners Shou but also to be enjoyed by tea lovers of any stage ~ You want it chill & cozy add some brown sugar to it!
This half ball Xiao jin gua shaped Shu really is a beauty of its own. Even within its tight compressed way its full texture and bouquet shines already through. Its steaming atmosphere completes the now ultimate thick profile. With a creamy silky character it already gives its first impressive speech while waiting for the actual liquor. This fine mist within those steaming darkness really reminds me of a wet rainy Autumn day surrounded by gigantic old trees like birch while the ground is soaked up wet covered with moss and bark mulch – this also is a major part of this creamy silky soft liquor – like a beautiful unforgettable day in the middle of nature while Autumn kisses every tree and leaves with its bright and diversity of coloration. Between this whole nature aspect there might be something else too – in this case it reminds me a lot of a subtle light with juniper smoked ham plus a fine sweet echo of cranberries. This Shou really got a nice profile and well rounded body liquor. There is a certain sweetness to it like a hint of brown cane sugar. Very highly enjoyable!
Very harmonious warming aged Sheng with a sugary sweetness to it like cane sugar. Very well balanced and so so smooth within its taste and texture. So lovely velvety. Aroma is a nice creamy mix of a very woodsy camphor tone, tree resin, wet tree bark, moss and old mossy wood covered with mushrooms like parasol mushroom. A fine bitter taste shines through in a subtle mix of dandelion and gentian. Beside that after a couple of steeps a fine darker chocolate flair gets clearer and clearer while the old profile transfers into a elegant fusion of old leather and Asian wood furniture scent plus a very fine subtle accent of smoked ham. This fine elegant aged fellow really gets better and better with every further steeping. It’s a feeling of meeting someone you get amazed by his or her present and with every minute and every following good and deep conversations you can’t stop listen to their voice – you are literally captured by their way of being and see the world through a different fresh and welcoming perspective. This tea gives you a feeling of being welcomed home, sitting in front of a cracking fireplace, seeing an Autumn scenery outside of those misted-up windows. Cozy and close to mother nature. There are so many ways to describe this fine heart warming tea session – the best way to find your way of telling this story is to start your own small journey with this aged buddy. Just Lovely!
This Yiwu ‘GuaFengZhai’ 2004 is an amazing example of a well aged Sheng with a lot of story telling which unfolds its pages with every infusion you dig deeper into its mysterious tale. This old fellow is definitely a story teller! Loved it! Perfect for an relaxing afternoon session.
Steaming Aroma: Very nice roasted smokiness but not overdoing plus an exquisite old library scent, cold chestnuts, mineral stony, baked pears and a subtle hint of pineapple & mango! Later stronger herbal medicinal old library woodsy flair which transforms into something more leathery.
Tasting Profile: A bit lighter at the start. Wet Cardboard paper, something slightly steamed milky to it with an echo in the aftertaste of a slightly chocolate hint, nutty tart note of chestnuts, walnuts and a mix of grape seeds and sunflower seeds plus a sugar crane sweetness. A nice fruity mix of pears and peach skin. There is a nice sourly astringency to it which tingles the tongue and animates every tasting buds it can reach. Quite furry mouth feel. Not a total massive puncher generally it really develops its strength within its light compositions and Qi. In many other reviews I read a lot about “many steepings” at least around 12-20. I can’t say I experienced the same! From the start this aged Sheng is quite on the lighter side. In my opinion it is quite a nice Sheng for around 5 to max. 7 steeps but after that there is not much going on anymore! But the aftertaste of chocolate bananas is really outstanding and an experience of its own
This pleasant silky soft and creamy Sheng was such a delicate pleasure in so many ways. The scent of the dried leaves indicates already a very sweet and floral bouquet which also developed a distinct corn aroma. But lets skip to the tasting part what immediately came into my mind was a certain complex structure with a sharing pattern to it – Honey – Propolis – Beeswax – and I loved it. Even the color had something quite honey-ish to it. But beside this getting to the point notes there was also another sweet aspect to it which really reminded me a lot of bourbon vanilla. The aftertaste a small delicious earthquake holds a very herbal menthol spiciness to it which conquers your whole tasting field from the tongue to the palatal deep down the throat. Remarkable. There isn’t such a thing as bitterness to it. After a couple of steeps this fine soup gets creamier and creamier but also his natural aspects of herbal and floral notes are stepping forward like a full blooming herbal garden richly covered with camomile, lamb’s lettuce , mushrooms, a hint of barley grass and soybean sprouts. A very durable one you can enjoy for many many steepings.
Imagine standing in the middle of a rainforest surrounded by endless sensory input you can hear, see and scent. Above your head fine countless drums of rain playing his mystical sound on top of this forest canopy. A fine misty layer covers this moist fertile ground winding like endless snakes between your feet and as far as you can see, as the mountains rise up in the sky. In the meantime a fresh intense bouquet of leaves, grass and other impressions enlighten your senses. This inner pictures was my first impression while I was sipping on those golden yellow cups. This last Sheng sample by Puerh.sk stimulated my mind to send it on a very tasteful journey in every possible way. This Gushu Huazhu Liangzi was light but also complex at the same time. A place where peach skin met apricots and went on a walk together with some nashi pears and a fine nutty layer of almond and pine nuts
This baked Shanlinxi High Mountain Oolong Lot 386 tastes like a hybrid between an Taiwanese oolong and a Wuyi Baijiguan oolong. Very nutty in a fusion between hazelnuts, almond plus a fine hint of pine nuts. There is also a slightly astringency something metallic to it. The scent covers a thick honey-ish layer which directly leads to the woodsy undertones and a delicious flair of freshly baked steaming wholemeal bread taste. But this isn’t the whole show. A very balsamic note directly explodes on your tasting buds and fires up directly through your nose – cooling and tingling. But you can also experience this minty flair very distinct in your throat like if you were chewing a cough candy. Later onward much more nutty tones but now more like hazelnut cream are the center of this well composed symphony sharing the space with a subtle note of banana and warm waffles. This was a very tasteful, rich and long lasting fellow with a very warming and cozy feeling to it.
So this Longfengxia High Mountain Winter Oolong Lot 471 from 2015 was the first sample I opened up and enjoyed for many infusions. I really missed such great teas. The scent of the leaves is literally watering your mouth with such an intense green, fresh sweet and floral aromatic bouquet – it is just amazing how complex the world of tea could be. Taste-wise there is so much to praise about starting with steamed fresh Japanese softbread, almond cookies, a hint of coconut melting together with such a vanilla creaminess but with a subtle sour end to it. Everything develops such a fresh and clean environment like if you could actually taste the fresh air – the morning dew dripping from those juice intense green leaves. Within his profile there is also some green salad sharing his place with steaming edamame but also a slightly nutty flavor like almond with a hint of walnut to it. Sweet, Green, Fresh – next step Floral and Fruitiness. Here you can definitely taste the fine notes of lychee followed by a floral bouquet of osmanthus and a subtle touch of roses. Far in the last corner of the aftertaste you could possible taste a fine nuance of milk chocolate. This whole aroma stays persistent and long within your mouth while a warming tingling on your palatal and throat his teasing those regions of your tasting experience. Instead of losing some of the fragrance from one steeping to the next this fellow gets even stronger and stronger. This was definitely a warming tea which suits the winter season perfectly. Sharing this tea with friends and loved ones in front of a crackling fireplace would be the nicest scenery for such a wonderful oolong I could imagine.
Before I start to praise it let me say one thing Masterpiece! I mean it isn’t the one and only best tea ever something like that doesn’t exist. Same if you asked someone do you have one favorite band? No, their are plenty but magnificent in their own genre. This Yuchi is a true masterpiece and such a well composed wild grown fellow within its black tea universe. Everything starts and ends with such a fruity punch directly through your senses forth and back and the same again and again and yes AGAIN!. With this fruitiness there also follows a distinct spicy flavor with a subtle herbal hint of eucalyptus to it. The most major note is definitely cherry but more like cherry candies plus a hint of black currants and blueberries covered with a fine delicate creamy vanilla bourbon layer. Beside those aspects there is even more fruitiness going on like a elegant fusion of nashi pear and Japanese peaches with a sweet honey-ish finish at the end. A very warming tea which stays very long in your mouth especially your cheeks. There is nearly no end to this fellow and its taste keeps up the notes in their full potential at least for around 7-8 infusions. Really a winner! I am definitely going to buy more of this awesome tea.
