Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Yunnan Sourcing Mystery Sample 'Alpha' ( Later Found To Be 'YiWu Gua Feng Zhai')



This is one of five mystery samples from Yunnan Sourcing. Its foil pack is marked with the code 'Alpha' to maintain an air of fun.

This pack is torn open and immediately the nature of this mysterious sample is revealed. The brownish leaves, some of which are lighter and fuzzy, have a certain creamy depth to their light sweet odour.

These scents distract the mind as one prepares these leaves in yixing.
The first sip transmits a sweet, creamy, light, airy spring taste. It is truly light in taste, colour, and feel. Its mouthfeel, silky smooth, covers the whole mouth.

As the leaves in the pot are exposed to more water, the mouthfeel fills up a bit more. There is also a flash, a tease, of forested depth in the mouth before quickly vanishing under creamy sweetness. A tat of dry is left on the breath.

This soft, mellow puerh remains stable throughout, unimpaired by the session which soon stretches along. Its qi is so soft and light that it seems to almost relax and sedate so one decides to drink it into the evening.

Even after many infusions this tea holds its own, it becomes somewhat bitter loosing some of its purity, but hardly so. There is a spicy, sometimes flowery depth to its sweet full feeling liquor that one enjoys until calling it a night.
Peace
Note: Please follow this link to the tea tasting discussion on the Half-Dipper.

3 comments:

Hobbes said...

Surely that has to be the prettiest cup that this "alpha" will see :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Matt said...

:)

Peace

Anonymous said...

This Pu-erh spiritually has an easy touch that soothes even unto "sedation" with a soft-hearted suggestion. Matt, I'm very pleased with your descriptions of the Qi experiences with these Pu-erhs. Often this is neglected among the tasters and yet it's what I'm most interested in about the trial of the tea. --Teaternity