90

Next time I think I will try Garret’s suggestion (cf. his reply to another review for this tea) to brew this longer and stronger.

My notes here are from brewing in my standard fashion: 5 grams, 75 ml, two rinses, and about 205 degrees F, progressively increasing steep times.

Overall, what stands out for me is:

1. Concentrated or dried fruit (apricot, Peruvian ground cherry?) flavors and particularly as a lingering and smacking aftertaste that is so reminiscent of many raw puers I have tried. This is the main highlight.

2. Leather undertones. A kind of smoky leather.

3. Personally, I did not get creaminess, but I could go along with a smoothness or maybe silkiness that another reviewer described.

4. Third steep, a buzz kicked in, really felt the qi, left me smiling and giddy, laughing out lout. After a few minutes the tea drunkeness mellowed out, but a background buzz stayed on. I could see why Garret mentioned that he drinks this tea before a run or a workout. (cf same reply mentioned further above).

This is my first tea from Mandala, and I got three more to try from them, so am looking forward to seeing if I have a favorite there. They sent me a free sample, which made my day.

Next session I will try brewing it much stronger.

Flavors: Apricot, Dried Fruit, Leather

Preparation
5 g 3 OZ / 75 ML
Garret

Thank you so much for posting this review. I am really happy that you enjoyed it. Started yet another morning with this tea today and it never ever gets old. I tend to brew it with full boil to bring just a hair more of the strength out of it. It can take the full boil really well! Enjoy! I appreciate that chance to have been of service.
Grateful,
Garret

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Garret

Thank you so much for posting this review. I am really happy that you enjoyed it. Started yet another morning with this tea today and it never ever gets old. I tend to brew it with full boil to bring just a hair more of the strength out of it. It can take the full boil really well! Enjoy! I appreciate that chance to have been of service.
Grateful,
Garret

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I have a small tea tray next to me at work (a school), and desk drawers full of small jars and cakes of tea. It seems rather mysterious to many students, some of whom want to try the teas and learn to manage the gaiwan, which perhaps inspires a life-long tea odyssey.

Ratings:

95+ are teas I want to have on hand and buy again. I am willing to pay a higher price than my usual threshold.

90-94 are teas that I highly praise and recommend, and they are welcome additions to my collection. I could buy them again.

80-89 are teas that I am thankful for trying, but I would keep searching for other teas before buying again.

79 or less is indicative of a disappointing tea for me.

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