A Beautiful Aged Puerh Experience - “1960s Loose Leaf”

This is the other controversial offering from Enlightenment Tea/ Puerh.uk.   It is now sold out.  I must admit I was going in very very skeptical with this one and basically went in with the thought that it must not be true to the description … but then the tasting experience really surprised me…

Dry leaves smell of sour musky dusty odours.  They do in fact smell quite old at least 90s… or even older…

First infusion pours quite reddish.. there is a creamy sweet talc cherry taste that comes with dry storage for some time.  It is quite light and creamy sweet subtle peat notes with an old dusty book taste.  The mouthfeeling is tighter feeling.

Second infusion has a creamy sweet onset with a tight quick moving mouthfeeling that kind of chokes away the sweetness rather quickly and leaves an old musty taste lingering in the mouth.  Faint cooling at the back of the throat.  Subtle mild relaxing.  The tugging dryness of the mouthfeeling sneaks down the throat a bit and seems to cause some salivation that pulls an old book and creamy sweet cherry taste even minutes later.  The cooled cup is creamy rich sweetness with strong old musk peat with some throat cooling.  Very nice experience here.  Even 10 mintues later there is this creamy sweet and old musty taste.

Third infusion has creamy milky shu puerh tastes with creamy sweet base taste.  Nice lubricating mouthfeeling and old musty underneath taste.  The gripping feeling of the first few infusions is gone and so is the longer aftertastes with just faint glimpses now you can almost tastes subtle BBQ notes in the aftertaste now and less cooling and much less sweetness.  I’m thinking this is a 90s shu puerh production from the refinement, old taste, and hinting towards shu profile rather than Hongkong Traditional.  Nice relaxing feeling with some scalp tinging Qi.

The fourth infusion has a creamy milky sweet onset of shu puerh tastes there is a smooth mouthfeeling with the faintest cooling with old tastes mainly disappearing and a very faint BBQ and milky finish.  Smooth older school but refined aged shu suggestions here.  Really nice relaxing feeling Qi.

5^th Has a simple straightforward shu puerh creamy milky taste with faint cooling, even more faint smoky meaty taste and some creamy milky sweetness.  There is a woody BBQ faint finish with not much old musty taste left.  Some scalp tingles, mild relaxing vibe with an emerging warming energy.

6^th has a creamy milky woody taste with edges of woody BBq smoke.  The meaty, woody, BBQ smoky almost mesquite taste is now the dominant one.  Reminds me a bit of the 2005 Yuannan SourcingHuangyin but not at all harsh… quite smooth actually.  Strong warming Qi now that is really nice.  There is a very faint mild dry feeling with a thick textured lubricating feeling.  Nice deeply relaxing feeling now.  It seems to me now that these might have some aged sheng leaves in a blend of mainly 90s shu leaves.  It is common that vendors clean up their cakes and remove the loose leaves from the tongs and wrappers and collect the leaves together.  That’s what I suspect this is… how knows maybe some 60s leaves are in here? But the leaf quality is very high- no dust or fannings but this is primarily 90s shu with some aged sheng that is more apparent in the 6^th infusion here? Maybe?  You can see some olive green leaves and some darker brown and even some brown black leaves in the pot.

7^th infusion has cooled down and now offers up a creamy milky shu taste with an emerging fainter woody bbq under taste.  Some slight oily texture over a slight dry tongue.  A warming focusing energy.  Woody BBQ faint taste minutes later.

8^th Oops I left the water in the pot for a few minutes now… this will be a stronger infusion here… nice thick creamy smokey woody taste very oily texture with nice warming and calming feelng.  Slightly more drying and full.  Relaxing Qi, calming not as warming.   A bit of astringency felt in the body.

9^th another really minutes long push gives off a woody creamy bbq sweet oily texture taste.  Nice calming and warming.  Very woody finish less sweet.  Smokey ash taste in mouth minutes later.  Calm but less warming now.  A nice calm.

10^th is another long infusion left to cool nice milky sweet shu taste with a slight woody BBQ smoke finish.   Nice oily texture.  Smoke finish minutes later.  Calming Qi.

11^th is left in the pot over night… night rich milky shu sweet taste upfront with a thick oily mouthfeeling… a touch of faint smoke wood in the finish but milky creamy aged shu tastes throughout.

I mug steep this one hard for the next few days and the wet leaves give off the most pleasant camphor sweet odour… inciting….

The infusions are super sweet oily and camphor with a dusty aged feel to them… taste like really nice aged sheng here.  There are all these super interesting super old tasting notes of talc floral, old paper books, camphor woody… the floral taste in here is super interesting to me…

I have never quite tried an aged tea like this before and I am really appreciative for the opportunity!  I wonder if this is a blend of loose sheng and shu with the material likely being 90s but could contain older material in the blend but I’m not completely sure.  It most definitely tastes blended and there is both shu and sheng, I believe, and it is old but doesn’t taste like the super old puerh I’ve tired before- there are very old features in the leaves though.  It actually tastes really unique to me.  Maybe it’s the result of a shop keeper cleaning up his bings, bricks, and tongs and collecting the nicer leaves?  That’s one theory I’m thinking of.  It reminds me of the selection of loose agedpuerh at Teamasters and would be a good reference.  The result is delicious and I really enjoyed it.  The first handful infusions remind me of 90s shu then after the more shu tastes starts to drop off you are left with the depth of aged sheng with really camphor-like sometimes even floral-like aged sheng notes, must have had some long dry storage on it after the more humid stage of its storage?.  I have never quite had a puerh like this and really enjoyed it.  It would be too hard for me to imagine this as 60s puerh but rather enjoyable and complex aged loose puerh blend which is really satisfying to me!  Paolo thanks for sending me this interesting experience a very nice aged puerh one if that!

Much Peace

Marco’s Blind Tasting “Eta” (1990s Kunming 7581 Brick)

This one just looks like an aged iron cake or brick as indicated by the dimples from such a press…

Dry iron pressed/ hydraulic pressed leaves smell like more humid and aged storage odours of rotting woods and slight chocolate.  You can see the dimples from the iron mold also the very dark aged and humid stored colour of the leaves.  Immediately looks like it could be Hong Kong traditional stored Shu.

First infusion has a watery, woody, aged library taste to it with some returning aged sweet hay tastes.  This first infusion is understandably watery and light as the tight press will take a few infusions to release a bit.

The second has an aged woody taste with a bit of chocolate then a woody sweet hay finish.  The leaves have a real aged taste to them.  Over the taste is aged puerh sweetness.  The mouthfeeling is still watery and faint suggestion of gripping sand… faint.  There is a lingering coco sweetness with aged tastes minutes later.

The third infusion (pictured) has a rich sweet woody hay like onset.  The mouthfeel starts to develop a bit of an oily stone texture to it which matches nicely the rich tastes.  This infusion is really smooth and rich and aged tasting.  There is a nice camphor wood taste along creamier rich tastes in the breath and aftertaste.  The Qi is nicely warming and reassuring on this rainy cooler Summer day.

This could be a very nice aged Traditional Hong Kong storage iron bing alternatively it could also be aged shu iron bing either way it had a lot of fermentation with a lot of age.  The wet leaves look like shu puerh to me.  Conventional wisdom wants me to think it is this 2001 Iron Zhongcha as it even matches the description of “rich concentrated dark brew with nice camphor and aged taste”.  But this one is shu and seems more fermented and/or humid stored than that one in the pictures.  I’m leaning more toward to an aged iron pressed shu puerh possibly Traditional HK storage…  I think it is possibly a Kunming 7581 brickfrom the 90s possibly older.  It has that vibe all over it… think I nailed this one…

The fourth infusion has a woody hay sweetness with a rich, almost coco, taste over a slippery tongue coating and nice camphor cooling woody with rich coco in the aftertaste.  This is a nice aged tasting puerh with a deeply penetrating warming energy.  The Qi is soothing but doesn’t make me tired.  I start to feel faint soft fluffy bodying feelings.

The fifth infusion has a woody hay tasting with more mineral and less woody and coco tastes as the sessions progress.  There is a mineral and slight coco taste to it some camphor aged tastes.  There is a very soothing very aged taste to this puerh.  Nice aged warming feeling in the body which gives me a nice glow and wakes me up gently early in the morning.

The sixth infusion has a more mineral earth and woody taste with less hay sweetness and more mineral now.  The mouthfeeling is slippery and just faintly gripping which is enough to give the camphor taste something to root on to in the aged mineral woody aged aftertaste.  I am really basking in the warming soothing Qi of this puerh.

The seventh infusion has a woody deep mineral taste to it with a water type of sweetness.  This puerh has lost a lot of rich tastes and is now a mineral aged tasting puerh.  It has just suggestions of a more gripping mouthfeeling espically as the small particles of leaf are consumed in the liquor.  There is a cooling camphor aftertaste with a bit of sweetness to it but more mineral tastes.  Warming and unraveling Qi that is waking me up slowly.

The eighth infusion has a smooth aged woody mineral taste to it with some camphor cooling in the throat and aged mineral finish.  Nice warm undulating waves hit me from the Qi of this puerh.  The mouthfeel is smooth with a bit of substance in the throat.  Nice relaxing awakening feeling.

The ninth infusion is a cooled cup and it delivers a really delicious rich almost nutty sweet coco taste.  It tastes refreshing warming in the same an iced coffee would feel.  Less cooling camphor, woody, and mineral here in the cup that was left to cool to room temp.

Getting back to the leaves after an hour break has the tenth infusion giving off a rich coco mineral taste.  The camphor and woodiness is almost gone/ quite faint now.  There is now a nutty sweetness to it.  The aged taste is really rich and satisfying.  The Qi is warming especially on the face now and has a slow deep soft but still quite energizing feeling.

The 11^th is a rich nutty almost woody mineral taste.  The mouthfeel is slippery and full and has a bit of throat stimulation.  No more camphor left.  It’s a simple and rich broth.

The 12^th has a rich almost nutty almost mineral taste that comes off nutty sweet in the finish.  Lots of warming energy that especially afflicts the head but also penetrates deeply.  It pushes me into a sweat.

The 13^th is mainly a mineral and woody tasting onset with some dryness aspiring in the mouth and throat.  There is a subtle almost nutty sweetness in the finish.  Warm warm energy.

The 14^th is much the same without the dryness in the mouth and throat.  There is an almost date sweetness with mineral taste that starts to develop with aged woody tastes.  This is a nice aged taste and warming Qi here.

15^th is luke warm cup and tastes of nutty sweetness more rich with a mineral aftertaste and some tight throat.  Still undulating and warming comforts offered by this one.

16^th is more of a nutty camphor taste with some mineral tastes interspersed throughout.  There is some throat tugging but a nice sweet mild finish.  My face flushes- I am warm on this rainy overcast summer day.

17^th is a 30 second steeping… it pours out really dark brown.  It has more roasty nutty rich woody profile and even some faint camphor.  The taste is really nice… I will come back to this pot tomorrow…

The next day I end up just grandpa steeping it out and it really delivers.  A thick oily nutty profile with a nutty sweetness to it.

Guess: An aged shu puerh, very humid, likely Hong Kong Traditionally stored, likely 90s but possibly even older.  Maybe a 90s Kunming 7581 Brick?

Answer: 90s Kunming 7581 Brick from Teas We Like

Peace

20 Year Old Tie Guan Yin

One received this sample when in search for old puerh. It was kindly sent with other puerh samples from Daniel of Vancouver's famed The Chinese Tea Shop. According to his webpage it took a long time to acquire this tea, which came from an old source. It has been charcoal roasted the traditional way and re-roasted every 3 years or so. With all the talk on Life In Teacup about whether Tie Guan Yin ages well, and being that it is seasonally the most appropriate time to consume such a tea, it feels like a good time to give it a whirl.

On this cool early autumn day, with water boiling, lets sit down, slow down, and enjoy some tea...

The dry leaves are oily, dark brown pellets full of sweet, spicy, fruity notes. Upon closer inspection the leaves are a very dark brown. The smell is deep, spicy apricot and apple. These leaves receive a quick rinse before the fist infusion inducing a cloud of smells.

The first infusion is prepared with just off boiling water. A fresh, malty chalkiness lightly coats the whole mouth with a lingering vanilla note. It has much flavour to pick on with a baked spicy and very light, sweet fruity notes apparent as well. The flavour and feel has an aged hardiness to it yet still retains its elegance. The thick but very slight aftertaste stays around for a long time while transmitting more of the dominant vanilla, and now, coca sweetness. A sweat breaks instantly. The chaqi moves, rises, disperses- the light, aromatic, floating, dispersing energy is powerful and calming. It's direction is quickly outward and upward. Ones forehead immediately perspires.

In the second infusion malty-thick, viscous, slippery flavours slide over the mouth- completely embracing it. A light sweetness with thick malty bottom comes over the mouth like a wave leaving behind the deep, mysterious, and chalky. Light into dark, light into deep, summer into fall. The tea reaches deep into the throat. The aftertaste is just a continuation of the initial sip.

The third infusion has an initial flavour that bends to more of a caramel-maltiness. There is a fresh quality that presses against the heavy, viscous bottom of this tea. A gritty, chalky nature is revealed in the full mouthfeel and throatfeel of this tea. The chaqi induces a sweat every time the first cup of a new infusion is consumed. Besides dispersing up and outward, the chaqi also warms and strengthens the middle jiao as it slowly creates a comforting warming sensation in the guts.

The fourth infusion has the vanilla notes more prominent. The taste becomes a bit more creamy with deeper notes becoming less overpowering. The mouthfeel becomes more sticky and slick. The aftertaste is as full as ever with chocolate vanilla notes burrowing deep into the throat.

The fifth infusion tastes lighter and fresher with ghostly, but still very present, deeper notes hanging on. The finish is still that sweet, light, ethereal, vanilla coco. The mouthfeel is thinner initially and thickens out in the throat. The qi here is warming and disperses slower now. A hot flash now hits the head minutes after finishing the pot. Now the warming- middle nature of the chaqi is more predominant over the dispersing nature.

In the sixth and seventh infusions the tea develops a woody, slightly spicy character with the vanilla and chocolate notes just present as a back taste. It finishes dry and slightly bitter. The mouthfeel is lighter and sharper. The aftertaste is deliciously long and starts to develop a sharp tartness. The flash of heat comes much later and is just slightly noticeable now. Strong relaxation is induced.

This tea is taken a few more infusions. This last push contains sharper, thinner flavours of spicy wood with even some subtle fruity notes.

Peace

Three Indigenous Types of Tea in Hunan Province China: A Tasting of 1990 Kum Cheom Cha

“These three teas are to Hunan what Puerh is to Yunnan”

This phrase came from a Korean tea master while discussing tea from Hunan Province China, of which he was quite found of.

The three teas he is referring to are Chan Yang Cha, Bok Jeun Cha, and Kum Cheom Cha (these are Korean pronunciations not Chinese, if anyone knows the Chinese transliterations please share). These teas are some of the oldest types of tea produced in the Northern slopes of Hunan, an area where tea production has been taking place for over 2000 years.

Chan Yang Cha is perhaps the most interesting of the group mainly because of its production and resulting storage. It stands like an enormous tree, a pillar- from top to bottom- it was almost as tall as the teamaster and the diameter was almost as thick as his waist! This is NOT the shape of the tea tree but the actual formed shape of the tea leaves! To see it in the forest you would be convinced that it is a tree trunk. It is like a trunk of tea leaves-Really strange.

It looks this way because of its production. One is not quite sure of the exact production methods but it seems like sheets of tea leaves are either rolled over and over into a giant cylinder shape or they are stuffed into a hollowed out tree. Then the giant solid tree trunk of tea is wrapped in rice paper for storage.

Bok Jeun Cha is some kind of brick tea and Kum Cheom Cha is a chunk tea similar to a cake. The shapes of these three teas seem to suggest that they are border tea used or traded to the minority people of China.

All three of these teas are made seemingly with the same quality of tea- large paper thin leaves with lots of thick tea branches. The teamaster would always drink this tea in the extreme heat of the summer, he said that these teas have a medicinal value for the treatment and prevention of heat stroke. All three definitely have a thirst quenching, light, replenishing feel to them.

Today as the first cherry blossoms of the year bloom abnormally early, one pulls out the last of a sample of Kum Cheom Cha while water boils.

The large paper-thin dry leaf is a straw brown colour with the slightest tint of red notes there is an abundance of large wood twigs protruding from the sample. The smell is earthy soil with light, sweet hay notes. The earthy smell is much different than shu puerh- this sample is much lighter, dryer, and sweeter. Almost just as much straw smells as dirt smells.

This unique sample is carefully separated into the pot, rinsed with hot water, and the first sample is prepared with just off boiling water.

The first infusion is sweet dirt, the mouthfeel is very thin, a characteristic of all three of these Hunan teas. Very subtle plum notes hide amongst the dirt. The aftertaste is just a touch dry on the tongue but in the back of the throat there remains a soft, sweet dirt taste.

The next infusion is prepared. A bit more of the earthy taste drops off and this infusion tastes more like sweet hay than earthy dirt.

The golden brown liquor of the thrid infusion is much the same. The plum notes are noticed between the initial primarily earthy dirt tastes and the straw finish.

Really this simple, sweet, light, plumy tea doesn't move that much from infusion to infusion. Although simple, it feels complete not lacking or deficient in some aspect or another. Its watery, fresh, profile seems about right. Its chaqi is just as subtle and relaxing as the mouthfeel, flavour, and smell of this tea- all three of these types of tea share these qualities.

Gradually this tea turns more woody in taste later into the session but retains its light, fresh, earthy-hay sweetness. After many pots, one feels rejuvenated on this cloudy spring day.

The wet leaves reveal many thick wood branches mixed with large to mid-sized paper thin leaves. The wet leaves (as well as the earthy notes and redish tint of the dry leaves) suggest some element of shu puerh-like production.

Peace