This is a bit of a famous cake stored by the more famous and
at times controversial Cloud’s Tea House… I got
Dry leaves smell of cardboard-woody damp paper bag.
First infusion has a soft fluffy onset with some watery
humid notes, some dirt notes, then a mild bitter astringency pop and a cooling
almost creamy sweet finish. The
mouthfeeling is really gripping and engaging.
There is a tobacco note that appears minutes later.
Second infusion has a rye-whiskey woody onset with a smooth
woody creamy sweet transition in the mouth.
There is lots movement in the taste from a woody rye whiskey onset a bit
of bitter astringency then returns a creamy sweet almost wine like long finish
that sort of merges with cooling. Then
there is a lingering aftertaste minutes later that has a tobacco taste to
it. The mouthfeeling is chalky and
tugging and really full. It reaches down
the throat deeply stimulating it.
Third infusion has a strong rich smoke woody rye-whiskey slight
dirt with strong mouthfeeling and dry chalky gripping feeling with a strong
returning sweetness of cooling menthol with a creamy sweet finish. The flavours are very strong and distinct.
Very intense gripping full mouth and deep gripping throatfeeling. Long tobacco finish in the mouth many minutes
later. Very subtle warming feeling in
the body. Subtle focusing and relaxing.
The 4th infusion has a woody wine whiskey vibrant
pop of flavours that has a plum taste kind of layered in there. There is a strong menthol cooling with pops
of plum cherries and a long cooling creamy sweetness with long tobacco
finish. Very strong full tugging
mouthfeeling and throatfeeling. This
infusion has stronger cherry-plum sweet vibrancy. The mouthfeeling continues in be quite
intense and the Qi is this subtle warming relaxing focusing energy. You can feel a warmth in the diaphragm.
5th has a strong woody whiskey barrel onset with
some distant smoke and distant sweet plum there is a strong mouth and throat
presence here with a bitter astringency underneath and strong simulating mouth
and throatfeeling. Camphor woody and not
as creamy sweet. Intense mouth and
throatfeeling taste centered by very soft warming relaxing Qi and comfortable
bodyfeeling. Have never experienced the
extremes of this dichotomy in a tea this old and aged. Qi has a distinct
warming heavy sensation in the Stomach and diagram.
6th infusion has a strong woody whiskey barrel
taste with some developing cherry-plum some lesser camphor wood. Nice tobacco and creamy sweet finish. Very strong pulling mouth and throatfeeling. Nice strong warming diaphragm and
stomach. Relaxing focus.
7th infusion has a creamy sweet woody onset with
a touch of bitter astringency. The
mouthfeel is more oily and velvety with a long plum camphor taste. There is this tobacco finish in this puerh
that I just love in Yiwu puerh. The
creamy sweet profile is long throughout the profile.
8th has a plum woody whisky barrel onset that is
mainly sweet with lesser bitter astringency in the last few infusions. Nice camphor cooling with a creamy sweetness
and some bitter finish in the mouth.
There is a creamy sweet and tobacco with bitterness in the finish. Strong diagpragm warming feelng. Very full
chalky gripping mouthfeeling and deep and strong throat stimulation. Long cooling in the throat. Some faint dirt and plum tastes initially.
9th is left to cool and gives off a subtly smoke,
subtle dirt coco bitterness, and soft creamy sweetness initially. The initial tastes go long in this cooled
down cup. There is more smoke and more
dirt taste in this infusions. The
throatfeeling has more tugging strength than the mouthfeeling which is more of
a dry chalky. Nice relaxing focusing
with strong warming digapragm and Stomach.
The warming centering Qi is really compforting.
10th has a silky full mouthfeeling with a
stimulating pulling throat feeling with a creamy sweet coco dirt onset with an
expanding creamy sweetness. Longer
creamy sweet profile now with lots of creamy coco taste. Strong warmth in Stomach and diaphragm.
11th is cooled down and gives off more dirt
tastes than creamy sweet coco. There is
this dirt and bitter taste that has a certain brackish taste to it. This infusion has some faint camphor and
barely sweetness but is mainly this bitter dirt taste. The Qi is still strongly warming and
relaxing.
12th has a bitter dirt with some creamy sweet
notes underneath. The bitter dirt taste
pretty much tastes over the taste here.
The mouthfeeling is dry tugging with strong throat stimulation only
faint creamy sweet coco tastes now.
Strong relaxing….
I put these same leaves into mug infusions….
The result is a bitter dirt bland strong tasting broth that
is not that enjoyable tasting but strong relaxing and warming Qi remains. Nice warming and relaxing feeling on this
slow moving unseasonably cool and windy day.
This is a powerful factory Yiwu puerh with power in its
taste and mouth- and throat-feeling. Yet
very warming and relaxing and comfortable in its Qi. The dichotomy is striking. The strength and power of the mouth and
throatfeel in an aged puerh like this sort of reminds me of the 88 Qing Bing. It also offers an interesting contrast to the Black Stamp of the same year which is quite refined, smooth, and very tasty fruity taste with high quality body feeling. Very opposite this Fuhai in almost every way.
Peace
5 comments:
Matt
What is controversial about Clouds Tea House?
Peter,
I probably used the wrong wording and didn’t explain but Cloud was an early source of puerh information for Westerners. Clouds Tea House is not controversial and sells good teas, sometimes a bit on the pricey side.
However, Cloud is often quoted as an example of the early misunderstandings and lack of knowledge of aging and storing puerh in the West. Cloud’s advice was to store the puerh in a cardboard box with no odours and good airflow. Those, including myself, who followed this advice from the mid 2000s we’re left with dried out puerh.
Peace
Thanks Matt!
I think his online store reflects Hong Kong retail pricing.
I glad that Andrews tea doesnt taste like his laundry anymore. Must have finally sorted out proper storage.
Anonymous,
I think Andrew usually moves his puerh pretty quickly and I have never found any weird storage things in his puerh ever. He is a totally trusted source for me.
Peace
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