Sunday, September 19, 2021

2021 Tea Encounter Tongqinghe: Everything I’m looking for!



Okay, Essence of Tea says that the trendingTongqinghe production area that there is a large variation in the quality,purity, and price.  This 2021 TeaEncounter Tongqinghe is apparently a Zhongshu or middle aged trees production goes for $55.22 for 200g cake or $0.28/g.  I’m not too sure about what is going on in this area exactly but for that price and for what David said I’m thinking that it is either of a lower quality leaf or potentially blended with surrounding area stuff.  The proof Is in the cup, so let’s try this complimentary sample out…

The dry leaves smell of thick barnyard foresty deep odours… I think this is going to be good…

The first infusion has a watery buttery sweet onset with a nice pungent barnyard underbelly.  There is a soft icing sugar creaminess that is long on the breath.  Melon bread mild tastes reveal themselves minutes later.  The profile is quite delicate so far in this infusion but surprisingly long.  The mouthfeel is just mild mossy soft feeling.

The second infusion has a buttery bread sweet onset that is decently oily in texture with a strong saliva producing effect.  There is a faint throat opening with coolness and a roasted nutty bread melon sweetness that is really long on the breath.  The Qi gives me a sense of clam with some tingling behind the neck.  Nice soft chalky mouthfeeling and long delicate sweet flavor with strong expansive aftertaste that is nutty, sweet bread, melon… mouthwatering.  The sweet taste is constant throughout but also changing- butter-bread to nutty-bread to melon.



The third infusion has a juicy fruity pear and foresty taste that come initially then stretch into a cooling and then a beady-nutty creamy taste with a long melon breath.  The taste is really delicious clear and mouthwatering.  There is this nice calming mild Qi with a bit of Heart pounding now. 

The fourth infusion is left to cool and gives off a thicker spicy peppery sweet caramel with a long sweet caramel finish in the mouth.  The caramel sweetness is thick and long into the aftertaste.  There is some saliva producing as this puerh has a nice mouthwatering effect.  The mouthfeel is a pudding chalky mild but full texture.  The throat cooling is long.  There is a nice relaxing feeling to this puerh.

The fifth infusion has a juicy vibrant onset with a peppery note to it and a long bready melon that turns to caramel.  There is a nice velvety mouthfeeling and not too noticeable throatfeeling with a returning saliva thing happening.  There are some super mild neck tingles happening but overall just some solid relaxation happening. 

The sixth infusion has a buttery almost floral peppery onset that has an almost menthol like coolness and a sweet bready melon finish.  The texture is oily and the mouthfeeling is a velvety mossy feeling.  The sweetness really expands and lives long in the mouth- it’s a caramel melon type of sweetness there.  Nice relaxing and calming Qi feeling with very faint Heart/Chest sensations.  Almost a mild calm focused feeling.

The seventh infusion has a peachy but mainly pear like taste with hints of caramel there is a slight peppery onset with juicy viscus pear and a long cooling menthol.  The aftertaste is long and sweat with pear and slight melon nuances.  Nice mossy velvety soft mouthfeeling.  Not much going on in the throat but some oily saliva retuning.  No bitterness or astringency at all in these infusions.

The eighth infusion has a juicy pear woody-peppery onset with a coolness and long pear like finish in the mouth.  There is a chalky pear kind of finish with a melon that comes on in there as well.  The chalky velvety soft mouthfeeling is nice as is the nice relaxing feel to this one.

9th has a buttery almost peppery floral sweet bread onset there is a long coolness and a bready sweet caramel almost melon finish.  Nice chalky mouthfeeling with some teeth stickiness but not squeaky teeth feeling but more like chalky teeth.  Nice relaxing vibe.

10th infusion has a thick buttery faint peppery and more obvious caramel bready note.  There is some cooling throat and long sweet bread and almost mushroom like aftertaste.  There is still some saliva producing over the thickening chalky mouthfeeling.  Nice relaxing Qi in here although not much for bodyfeelings.

11th has a more woody almost fainter floral peppery onset there is still some cooling but not as much and much less sweetness here.  The sweetness mainly appears in the aftertaste as a bread melon type of thing.  This infusion has a manly woody-peppery-floral-mushroom kind of taste throughout.  The chalky mouthfeeling starts to develop dryness here.  Nice relaxing and even happy vibe to this puerh…

12th has a bitter, soapy, woody taste initially then there is some cooling then a mushroom bready melon kind of aftertaste.  The mouthfeel is becoming more drying and even a bit tight.

13th has a woody almost mushroom peppery floral then there is a coolness then a melon and bready sweetness.  The mouthfeel is a dry chalky now.  The Qi is beautifully relaxing and a bit focusing.

14th is a bit more sweet juicy pear initiailly but still quite woody-peppery.  There is a bit of cooling then some pear and melon sweetness but now mainly a dry woody taste in the mouth that matches the dryer woody mouthfeeling.

15th has a juicy and still somewhat oily pear onset with a woody-peppery base taste that carries the profile into the cool breath and mushroomy woody bread and kind of melon sweetness.  The taste profile is really enjoyable for me and the balance of tastes is something I enjoy.  The peppery woody taste is a bot unique.  Qi continues to please- very relaxing and focusing.

16th is still at a flash infusion which speaks to the stamina of this one going the distance.  It is more woody-peppery than melon bread sweet but the balance here continues to be quite enjoyable especially as there is not much if any bitter astringency.  The mouthfeel is chalky and there is a long melon sweetness in the breath minutes later.

I think this one could have kept going strong which is pretty amazing for its price…

I mug steep it out overnight…

It gives off a very very sweet melon fruity note to the point of Starbrust candy like vibrant sweetness upfront.  The texture is very viscus and oily here.  A sticky texture that sticks to the teeth. Very oily and lubricating feeling with lots of mouthwatering and retuning saliva.  Thick condensed candy sweetness.  Very delicious here.



Overall, this is another really good puerh for its price!  It has a nice relaxing Qi feeling with some neck releasing and tingling bodyfeelings.  The strong saliva producing effect as well as the very distinct delicious peppery and some times savoury mushroom with distinct Starburst candy sweetness  when it appears with notable oily texture makes this one super enjoyable for the price.

 Vs The 2021 Tea Encounter Gua Feng Zhai and this 2021 Tea Encounter Tong Qing He are maybe not the highest quality or purist or oldest of these areas but it can be sure that both of these really punch way above their weight and a very nice teas for their price… The both have the combo of sweetness, mouthfeeling/throatfeeling and Qi that very much make the experience worthwhile.  I already demolished these samples… too delicious to keep around…

I think They both have a similar feel overall - the Guafengzhai has more complexity and the Tongqinghe more depth.

Another good one without killing the bank account!

Peace

No comments: