5/12/14
Spring 2014 Sun-Dried Purple Buds from the “ye sheng” varietal of camellia tea trees which grow wild in tropical Dehong.
The dry buds are brownish purple-green and smell like tobacco, prunes, the outdoors in the mountains.
Brewed the buds at 160F for 3 minutes Western style.
Liquor is white, clean, clear with a light tint of champagne color with scents of subtle cinnamon, prune.
Wet leaves now have turned a bit more green and revived to their natural state. I love these bud type teas,,,It’s like you picked the wild buds and brewed them over a fire in the mountains. Very natural and wild.
The flavor is fruity and layered. There is honey, subtle cinnamon notes, pruny tobacco.
Second steeping – I upped the temp to 190F for 3 minutes still Western style.
Brought out a bit more of the more dominant tobacco notes and the subtle ones stepped back. I like the lower temp for buds though this steeping is also delicious. Both temps produced delicious results.
I am aging the rest of these buds for a while so I’ll be checking back and drinking and noting the date here every once in a while :) Delicious!! Not rating any of my pu-erhs because they are ever changing and am learning and new to when their peak will be. Very yummy right now so I can only imagine this one will get sweeter and more complex :)
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7/25/14
Couldn’t resist getting a teaspoon of this out of my aging jar to try today. I brewed Western style at 175F for 3 minutes. The liquor is pearl clear color and the scent is definitely Sheng with notes of tobacco, wild herbs, and honey.
The flavor has mellowed since I’ve had it in the unglazed jar!!! Far out!!!!!! It is creamy, tobacco, peach pit, honey. Very beautiful dry purple buds too. I love this tea to look at as well as drink!!
Flavors: Honey, Peach, Stonefruit, Tobacco
