Pursue

This is the first real 357 gm cake I ever bought with the exception of cheap chinatown fake cnnp cakes. I found it downstairs at Kam Man Market on Canal Street in New York City’s Chinatown and paid $16.95 for it. Really lucked out with this one and most of the way through my first cake with another recently purchased, last one in the store waiting in the wings. It’s rich, smooth, clear, sweet and has smoothed out quite a bit from the first time I tasted it about 3 years ago. It was delicious then too, but more in your face (which I liked a lot). The taste is very integrated now with nothing in particular sticking out and stands up to large water to tea ratio as well as long steeps. I just managed to find a picture and the “8854” online as I had never seen it anywhere before except in the store I bought it in so I decided to post and review it. With the benefit of hindsight and many ripe cakes to compare it to, it’s a wonderfully delicious brew and a bargain.

Smells earthy and dank before slurping. However, taste is light…..kind of like when your friend says she’s coming over, and you try to get out of it because you’re not in the mood for her “drama”…..but when she gets there, you have an awesome time because she’s really happy to see you and catch up….that is this tea.
The pu-erh and rose almost cancel each other out, niether of them comes out the “winner” in the battle for flavor. Even though it’s a black tea, it’s light enough to go with food or by itself. Very nice.