Ripe pu-erh from TeaVivre excellent shop. It came from the post office very tasty already. Probably only sheng puer is getting a bad taste during delivery. Dry leaves are indeed smell earthy and flowery. but regarding its taste, clear spicy almonds taste is amazing.
This Golden Buds Puerh Cake made in 2005 is the high-end products from Fengqing Sanning Tea Company. The buds which turned to be golden color after fermentation were combined with other levels Puerh maocha which contain much flavor content so that this Puerh cake has the characteristics of pure aroma, mellow taste and quick sweet aftertaste. This puerh cake is produced in Fengqing, Yunan. Fengqing is the original place of the world-wide famous Dian Hong Tea. And it is also a classic place of Yunnan Pu-erh.
I give it 2 fast rinses at start. Than steep on 100°C, maybe less sometimes. It never gets astringent, very mellow, even if I leave it for half an hour. I know it needs more time for the taste to become full strength, but it’s never bitter anyway. Just becoming full flavour and very dark, but indeed tasty and adherent.
After rinses leaves smell as spicy almonds with paprika. They become greasy and pitchy in my tea pot.
1st steep at 96°C for 40 sec. – liquor became very dark and thick, maybe it’s a bit overbrewed, but just right for me. Like eating almonds roasted with honey. Very sober and modest taste without too much of kicks and whistles. But prominent, sober and moderate taste.
2nd steep, same settings: is also good. Actually it goes same way all steeps, About 15 steeps at least. The tea becomes more earthy during next steeps. With the time I need more time for a steep, last ones take about 10minutes to get a full flavour, but first 7-8 up to 1 min. is enough.
Great tea to drink every day. I already had used a half of my cake. Eager to try more of premium TeaVivre ripen pu-erh cakes, maybe like this one.
A nice tea which I’m comparing to Scotch whisky in my mind. Such teas are not trying to make me courageous, same way like Scotch whisky, they just calm me. And I can drink a lot of it during a day or night. Taste is good, but not interfering too much with my plans or a workflow.