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Rich, smooth, clean flavor + superb value = win-win!

These 2019 “Jin Bang Gan” cakes are 357 grams each, but one can purchase a cake from King Tea Mall for only $16.99 (at the time of posting). What a steal!

In its early steeps, this tea is sweet, velvety, thick, and satisfying in the stomach, without an apparent central flavor. The infusions then evolve with a floral character that reminds me of clean laundry (detergent, dryer sheets, etc.). Finally, the last steeps gradually become woodier and more herbal, reminiscent of petrichor.

I typically use 5 to 8 grams of tea leaves in a 100 mL gaiwan. Brewing with 5 grams yields a light, refreshing brew with less “core” to the flavor; using 8 grams brings out more spiciness with medicinal notes. I start with flash steeps the first three or four rounds and then increase by approximately 5 seconds for each subsequent brew. I enjoy this tea several times a week and love it more each time.

This tea is a beautifully pleasant addition to my collection.

The compression in the cake isn’t very tight and allows easy prying. As of 2023, there is no wet-pile/fishy smell, only the slight earth-ocean aroma typical of ripe tea.

Having prepared three sessions of 2013 “Yi Dian Hong” now and used differing leaf-to-water ratios, the flexibility of this tea is undeniable.

First, I used 5 grams of leaves in a 100 mL gaiwan. (I start with a small tea ratio to enjoy the subtleties of the tea. A heavy proportion of tea drowns those delicate qualities.) The early infusions were gentle and sweet with prominent vanilla notes. The middle steeps complemented the underlying sweetness agreeably, growing full-bodied and cherry-like. The later brews faded slowly into subtle, fruity wood. Altogether, the tea yielded approximately ten infusions. I typically flash-infuse shou the first two to three times and add five seconds to each subsequent steep.

I employed 7.5 grams of tea for the next session in the same 100 mL gaiwan. The early steeps were still reminiscent of vanilla but thicker, heavier, and almost smoky. The middle steeps revealed dark chocolate and vague yet pleasant bitterness. The fruity-sweet character was more challenging to detect in this session. Late steeps traversed into soft vanilla land with less woodiness than the first session. I recall brewing in this session around thirteen times.

In my most recent session with this 2013 “Yi Dian Hong,” I opted for 4 grams of tea in my 60 mL gaiwan. I obtained eleven infusions from this session. Early on, the tea had the same vanilla character with a pecan note I hadn’t previously noticed. Midway through the session, there was still vanilla but with hints of chocolate. The nutty notes persisted quietly in the background and faded away in the late steeps, leaving fruitiness and still more vanilla. Vanilla, vanilla, vanilla. This tea can’t stop talking about it! Fortunately, I am a fan.

Now stop reading and buy the tea already.

I am somewhat disappointed with this tea. I typically enjoy black/red teas very much, but Ceylon Kandy Silver Tip is an exception. Having tried to enjoy this tea multiple times, I admit my pursuit was not worthwhile.

Once the leaves were wet and hot, they exuded an indulgent, malty, mushroomy aroma. The first steep was acceptable: thick, full-bodied, and cozy with earthy flavors similar to the aromas. But each subsequent infusion became more bitter and dry, with an ever-increasing soaplike prickle on the back of the tongue. The maltiness and earth notes slowly waned throughout while the unpleasant sharpness heightened. The tannins in this tea seemed extremely sensitive and would dominate the tasting experience no matter how gentle my preparation was.

This tea was far better than nothing, but I would not intentionally return to it.

This tea is a delight. As someone who enjoys powerful ripes, this tea caught my eye.

I ordered a 25g sample of this 2022 “Pasha Mountain” shou pu-erh from Yunnan Sourcing. On opening the sample bag, I noticed the “dried squid” wet pile smell characteristic of young ripe teas. Nothing unusual! The funky aroma seemed to dissipate after the second and third steeps and did not permeate the liquor itself much.

I infused this tea using 8g of leaves (I like to be generous with shou) and 100 mL of boiling water (100℃/212℉) each time. After rinsing the leaves once, I obtained twelve substantial steeps. In the first infusion, this tea tasted damp and woody, with subtle hints of dark chocolate. Subsequent steeps revealed a robust cacao character with a prominent bitterness uncommon to shou pu-erh. Beneath these flavors lay deep, almost alcoholic dark wood notes. The tea soup was very dark, even for a ripe tea. Its flavors stayed mainly uniform until the eleventh steep; the vehement cacao character then tapered back into light foresty notes.

The cha qi was highly invigorating. This tea is so fierce that brewing in a 100 mL gaiwan and drinking three or four infusions made me feel noticeably weak. Just a word of caution to those who like to gulp tea!

I highly recommend this 2022 “Pasha Mountain” ripe for anyone who likes commanding tea. Should there be a pu-erh equivalent to black coffee, this tea might be it. I will be back for more!

My infusion times:

Rinse: ~3 sec.
1: 10 sec.
2: 10 sec.
3: 20 sec.
4: 35 sec.
5: 50 sec.
6: 1 min. 10 sec.
7: 1 min. 35 sec.
8: 2 min. 15 sec.
9: 4 min.
10: 6 min.
11: 10 min.
12: 16 min.

This sencha is a real treat. Having brewed it in my unglazed Tokoname kyusu several times, I can safely report that it is uncommonly rich and sweet, even for fukamushicha.

The first steep blankets the whole mouth in thick, buttery-sweet goodness. The aroma of the hot tea is indulgently umami-forward and superbly nutty. The color is deep green, and, as is typical with fukamushi sencha, numerous flavorful tea particles permeate the cup in every steep. The second infusion is more delicate, with more prominent fresh, floral notes. The third infusion is light and refreshing, thinner, and well-balanced with a subtle apple flavor. Nutty, buttery flavors persist throughout the brewing span of the tea. A solid fourth infusion is sometimes possible with a gentler approach to the first three (chiefly through shorter steep times).

This tea is distinctive ambrosia. It will be one for me to remember and purchase again and again.

This black (or rather, red) tea is hearty and entrancing. The dry leaf smells of dark chocolate, toasted wood, and cooked sugar (like dark caramel or toffee). I found the wet leaf aroma depends mainly on the water temperature. Boiling water draws a pungent fragrance delightfully suggestive of soy sauce. Slightly cooler water (approx. 95°C) yields earthier, woodier notes.

I have prepared this tea in both Western and gongfu styles. Western-style preparation gives a mahogany brew with prominent notes of smoke and balsamic vinegar. With this tea, I obtain four solid infusions with Western brewing parameters (1 tsp leaf per 6 oz boiling water). The first two steeps are robust and mildly astringent, while the last two tend to be more subtle and earthy with mustier forest flavors.

Gongfu brewing produces fuller smoke and dried fruit notes in the first 2-3 infusions. Later steeps unfold into toasted nuts and woodchips with hints of dark chocolate. 75 mL of boiling water with 5g of leaf provided 9-11 substantial infusions with brewing times of 10, 15, 21, 28, 38, 53 seconds, etc.

This is one of my favorite teas to enjoy after an evening meal. Additionally, it blends very well with cream and would probably make an excellent bubble tea base.

This black (or rather, red) tea is hearty and entrancing. The dry leaf smells of dark chocolate, toasted wood, and cooked sugar (like dark caramel or toffee). I found the wet leaf aroma depends mainly on the water temperature. Boiling water draws a pungent fragrance delightfully suggestive of soy sauce. Slightly cooler water (approx. 95°C) yields earthier, woodier notes.

I have prepared this tea in both Western and gongfu styles. Western-style preparation gives a mahogany brew with prominent notes of smoke and balsamic vinegar. With this tea, I obtain four solid infusions with Western brewing parameters (1 tsp leaf per 6 oz boiling water). The first two steeps are robust and mildly astringent, while the last two tend to be more subtle and earthy with mustier forest flavors.

Gongfu brewing produces fuller smoke and dried fruit notes in the first 2-3 infusions. Later steeps unfold into toasted nuts and woodchips with hints of dark chocolate. 75 mL of boiling water with 5g of leaf provided 9-11 substantial infusions with brewing times of 10, 15, 21, 28, 38, 53 seconds, etc.

This is one of my favorite teas to enjoy after an evening meal. Additionally, it blends very well with cream and would probably make an excellent bubble tea base.

Unkaku is rich, creamy, sweet, and decadent. It performs beautifully as both usucha and koicha. I found it especially easy to whisk into a thick foam, and the finish and aftertaste are impeccably smooth. There is no astringency or bitterness in this matcha whatsoever. I highly recommend it!

This elderflower and pear tea is pleasant but relatively weak in flavor. The flower and chamomile notes come through somewhat, but pear is inherently a very subtle flavor and does not shine brightly enough here. Still, this tea is enjoyable, even if very light.

I love Kumpu. It is a fruity, green-tasting sencha with strong floral notes and a healthy amount of astringency. The first infusion is vibrant and lemony, and the second and third taste more oceanic and mellow. Some sencha can hold out for a fourth infusion, but this tea, not so much. Thankfully, the three steeps are more than enough to satisfy.