Bear with me guys, this will be a long tasting note!
I was lucky enough to be one of the first to try this fine new puerh offering from Butiki. Not sure I’ve ever had a blend of sheng/shu before! Also this tea is from when I was 8 years old. WOW!
I took time today to steep it gongfu style, and took notes on each steeping! Puerhs can be so subjective, really, so take my notes with a grain of salt. 1 tablespoon of tea, 4oz gaiwan.
Steep 1- Only about 15 second steep. I didn’t rinse it, this puerh is so old and precious I didn’t want to waste a drop! The wet leaves immediately smelled a tiny bit smokey, with faint damp earth, pine and cedar notes. I can tell there is some sheng in here.
Steep 2- 20 seconds. The smoke is already almost completely gone. It is richer, and almost creamy now. The shu elements are starting to emerge and take over.
Steep 3- 20 seconds. The leaves are really “opening up” now. There is a distinct pleasant woody flavor. Maybe like if tea could be made from a freshly carved branch of oak? The taste is round, and very open. Mild and gentle sweetness.
Steep 3- 1 min. This very much makes me think about the forest, but there is zero dirt or moss. It is like the essence of a tree. I’m drinking a tree! :D
Steep 4- I think the leaves are getting tired, but there is a wonderful energy about this tea and I don’t want it to quit. I think after this steep I’ll leave them in some boiling water for several minutes and walk away and see if anything happens, haha…
Anyway, to sum up- This is wonderfully woody! Not a single off flavor or dirty vibe. Very sweet and good! I’d consider purchasing more for special occasions.
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I don’t think I tried anything older than 2005. Wow, I’m so curious. I have to try it, TeaTiff send it to me in that surprise package fr Butiki. I just don’t have that special time to fully appreciate this rare tea.
I have some of this, waiting to be sampled :)
Stephanie-Real interesting to see your notes on this! I can definitely see the “essence of tree” notes! I was contemplating adding a smoke note to the description but it ultimately left it out since it was hardly noticeable on the first steep and with some rinses I wasn’t even getting a smoke note and I didn’t want to turn people away from trying this puerh. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
grrrrr terri imma stamp my feet at you!
Sil, I’ll start a new box for you…
oh no… no no…i’ll just place an order with stacy. haha that will get me less teas lol
Stacy for 100 ml gaiwan should I use 5 g, 7g ???
boychik-How long are you planning on steeping it? If you want to do longer steeps 30 seconds, 2-3 grams should be sufficient.
For shorter steeps, I would do about 5-6 grams.
I never measure anything when I gongfu brew. Mostly just eyeball the amount of room the tea is taking up in my gaiwan.
Short steeps. I think I’m bad when measure my tea. Since I don’t have a lot and I want it to be perfect that’s why I’m asking. My thinking in general that there is no bad tea, I just didn’t make it the right way…
Wow, great note!
I don’t think I tried anything older than 2005. Wow, I’m so curious. I have to try it, TeaTiff send it to me in that surprise package fr Butiki. I just don’t have that special time to fully appreciate this rare tea.
I have some of this, waiting to be sampled :)
Stephanie-Real interesting to see your notes on this! I can definitely see the “essence of tree” notes! I was contemplating adding a smoke note to the description but it ultimately left it out since it was hardly noticeable on the first steep and with some rinses I wasn’t even getting a smoke note and I didn’t want to turn people away from trying this puerh. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
grrrrr terri imma stamp my feet at you!
Sil, I’ll start a new box for you…
oh no… no no…i’ll just place an order with stacy. haha that will get me less teas lol
Stacy for 100 ml gaiwan should I use 5 g, 7g ???
boychik-How long are you planning on steeping it? If you want to do longer steeps 30 seconds, 2-3 grams should be sufficient.
For shorter steeps, I would do about 5-6 grams.
I never measure anything when I gongfu brew. Mostly just eyeball the amount of room the tea is taking up in my gaiwan.
Short steeps. I think I’m bad when measure my tea. Since I don’t have a lot and I want it to be perfect that’s why I’m asking. My thinking in general that there is no bad tea, I just didn’t make it the right way…
Wow, great note!