1992 Menghai Tea Factory Red Star Tuocha 100g

Picked up a sample of this about a month ago, letting it air out since then. The tea is described as Hong Kong dry storage, which actually means the tea still has some musty flavor. About the right amount, in my opinion. Brewed up 6 grams of the looser leaf included in the sample.

Tea is indeed musty on the first three steps or so, very minerally, a touch salty. Lively spot on the tongue. Brews up nice and dark brown, like coffee. Yum! Green tea flavor starts to creep in, not much bitterness in this. Starts to fade after 8 steeps or so and I increase the steep times up from the flash brewing.

This tea doesn’t have the wild leaf or anything particularly special to note except for the excellent storage. Tuos take forever to age due to the tight compression, and without humidity this one wouldn’t be as good as it is. Still at $74 for a 100 gram tuo, I don’t think I want to spring the cash for more, I can find similar leaf and storage for a lot less.

Edit: after airing this for about 7 months in one of my small crocks I think this has greatly improved. Most of the humidity has aired out. I still get the mineral rock taste, but more sweetness too now that the humidity isn’t overwhelming the cup. Upping my rating from 80 to 85.

Photos on my blog http://deathbytea.blogspot.com