On my way home from a job interview, I made a pit stop into The Jasmine Pearl HQ for a bowl of matcha. (Yes, that’s right. Most people stop by normal bars on the way home, I stop for tea. Shush.) While having my bowl o’ matcha, I was coaxed by the owners into trying one of their “bingcha” raw pu-erhs.
I…love…sheng pu-erh. This was an ‘06. Other than that, I don’t know much about it. I can tell you that it had a deep, winy, floral-fruity character on even the first thirty-second infusion…and didn’t deviate from that. While I only had three infusions, I’m more than certain it could’ve lasted more. I wanted to buy an ounce of it, but it wasn’t exactly in the budgetary cards. Next time…next time. Le yum.
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Good luck with the job! Hopefully soon you’ll be able to improve your tea purchasing resources. :)
Ha, thanks! I’m not too worried about my tea stores at the moment. Still got plenty of that Zealong ya gave me. ;-)
I really need to try teas with names that either frighten me or that I can’t pronounce! I always seem to stick to the “safe” teas that I know or that EVERYONE knows and likes. Thank you for always trying something new to share with us.
Wow, that’s a tall compliment! Thank you! I do what I can. I’d get bored trying the same ol’ thing all the time. Plus, I have an active “ooo shiny!” gland.
I call them like I see them and I really enjoy your reviews, tweets, and blogs on the subject of tea. I do try to switch up my tea drinking, but there are some “go to” teas that I tend to always fall back on. I think my next venture is to get my hands on some of that ice wine tea and take a look at Upton Tea Imports – I hear good things about them. If you have any recommendations that would be helpful too.
See I have an active “oh shiny!” gene.
Good call on Upton. I have yet to try their wares, but they have a rather extensive single estate white collection – even stuff from Kenya! They’re on my list as well…if and when I finally have the budget for ’em.
I’m starting to wonder if the pu’erhs I have tried are just bad examples…. everyone talks about all these great aspects but all I get is “dirt”!
I get their tome (it seems that large) quarterly, but I have yet to take the plunge. Someday… If you ever want to try a sample of anything I have let me know I am happy to share! :)
@Indigobloom – If it smells like dirt or fish, you’re having the artificially-aged (“shou” or *cooked) stuff. I’m with you, most of ’em are gross. A key words in your pu-erh search should be "sheng or “raw”. They smell more like green tea, to me. Feel free to disregard if you already know this. :-)
@Little Mew Brew – I may take you up on that if you ever get their single estate Assam white. That type’s been on my list for awhile.
I’d be happy to share that if ever I get it. But I also meant any other teas in my cupboard here on Steepster too!
Thanks! I will gladly keep that in mind further down the road. Luckily, I still have stores from my review sampling to keep me tided over for a little while. :-)
huh, I did not know that! thanks for the info… pu’erhs are now officially off the garbage list until I try the Sheng or Raw! :)
Glad I could help . :-)
Best of wishes on the interview.
Much obliged. :-)
Good luck with the job! Hopefully soon you’ll be able to improve your tea purchasing resources. :)
Ha, thanks! I’m not too worried about my tea stores at the moment. Still got plenty of that Zealong ya gave me. ;-)
I really need to try teas with names that either frighten me or that I can’t pronounce! I always seem to stick to the “safe” teas that I know or that EVERYONE knows and likes. Thank you for always trying something new to share with us.
Wow, that’s a tall compliment! Thank you! I do what I can. I’d get bored trying the same ol’ thing all the time. Plus, I have an active “ooo shiny!” gland.
I call them like I see them and I really enjoy your reviews, tweets, and blogs on the subject of tea. I do try to switch up my tea drinking, but there are some “go to” teas that I tend to always fall back on. I think my next venture is to get my hands on some of that ice wine tea and take a look at Upton Tea Imports – I hear good things about them. If you have any recommendations that would be helpful too.
See I have an active “oh shiny!” gene.
Good call on Upton. I have yet to try their wares, but they have a rather extensive single estate white collection – even stuff from Kenya! They’re on my list as well…if and when I finally have the budget for ’em.
I’m starting to wonder if the pu’erhs I have tried are just bad examples…. everyone talks about all these great aspects but all I get is “dirt”!
I get their tome (it seems that large) quarterly, but I have yet to take the plunge. Someday… If you ever want to try a sample of anything I have let me know I am happy to share! :)
@Indigobloom – If it smells like dirt or fish, you’re having the artificially-aged (“shou” or *cooked) stuff. I’m with you, most of ’em are gross. A key words in your pu-erh search should be "sheng or “raw”. They smell more like green tea, to me. Feel free to disregard if you already know this. :-)
@Little Mew Brew – I may take you up on that if you ever get their single estate Assam white. That type’s been on my list for awhile.
I’d be happy to share that if ever I get it. But I also meant any other teas in my cupboard here on Steepster too!
Thanks! I will gladly keep that in mind further down the road. Luckily, I still have stores from my review sampling to keep me tided over for a little while. :-)
huh, I did not know that! thanks for the info… pu’erhs are now officially off the garbage list until I try the Sheng or Raw! :)
Glad I could help . :-)
Best of wishes on the interview.
Much obliged. :-)