2016 Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi / I think I like Mang Zhi

I quite like tasting the selection of Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi puerh at Tea Encounter.  So after receiving this sample in a complimentary care package from Curigane (Tiago) of Tea Encounter I make this 2016 Zheng Si Long at $150.85 for 400g cake ($0.38/g) the first of the bunch to sample…

Dry leaves smell of a very sweet, kind of faint floral fruit with a mineral rock like odour.

First infusion has a mild sweet honey and woody almost grain onset with wood bark and almost cherry tastes in the aftertaste.  The tastes are crisp and pure the mouthfeel tight.

The second infusion has a soft onset of dry wood, grains, almost grass with a subtle fruity nuance.  A candy-like aftertaste lingers on the breath.  The mouthfeel opens gently and the mouthfeeling is slightly taught and sticky.

The third infusion has a malty grains and woody sweetness.  There is a long sweet, date-like, malty sweetness and noticeable camphor pungency in the returning sweetness.  The aftertaste displays different layers of sweetness- malty, date, and faint candy floss.

The fourth infusion starts off sweet and fruity with dry wood in the distance.  The pungent camphor aftertaste sets off a long sweetness the trails into the breath.  This sweetness is maltier and grain-like initially but has a candy-like nuance in the aftertaste.

The fifth infusion starts off mainly sweet malty, grainy, almost date.  There is pungency then long sweetness.  The mouthfeel is slightly tight and slightly sticky but not overly stimulating.  The throat is mildly opened.  The profile overall is quite sweet with dry wood- very Yiwu in profile.  The Qi is mild and lingers heavy in the head, behind eyes, makes me feel pretty relaxed, almost dopy.  I’m looking for an energy boost this morning but am give only dopiness and relaxation and a heavy head.

The sixth infusion starts off balanced between dry wood and malty, grainy sweetness.  The onset of camphor sets into motion a long sweetness.  Sticky mouthfeeling.

The seventh infusion is a nice clean woody, malty sweet taste.  There is less sweetness now and more of a light balance between dry woods and malty sweetnesses.  The camphor returning taste is there and the sweet tastes are long, if not becoming less obvious now.  The long candy like breath taste is holding though.

The eighth infusion has a more intense pungent camphor taste but less obvious initial taste.  The pungent camphor in this tea is very nice as is its long aftertaste.  The tastes are one dimensional but pure and flavourful.  The qi continues to relax and sedate.

The ninth is more wood but still contains all the same flavor elements in there.  The mouthfeel is becoming more sandy and less sticky now.

The tenth is loosening a bit of strength now, its mellowing out into a nice sweet/woody/camphor thing.  The eleventh is sweeter now, but its harder to define the sweetness.  The taste remains pure and unmuddled here but not as intense or nuanced as early on.

I add 10 seconds to the flash infusion in the 12th and get a nice fresh, crispier woody sweetness.  In the 13^th I add 20 seconds and get much the same mellow woody sweetness but the longer infusion pushes out more candy aftertaste that still lingers in these leaves.  I feel spacy and lazy.

To lazy to do more, I do a few more longer infusions with enjoyable fruity/ woody tastes in a mild sandy/sticky mouth- and throat-feeling. 

This puerh has a very stable infusion to infusion session but what is there is very pure and very flavourful.  Its single estate pedigree is quite obvious.  Very Yiwu tasting.  The mouthfeeling/ throatfeeling and qi are not bad too.  A very solid tea for those who like the Yiwu taste and single estate but don’t want to pay crazy for it.

I go to compare the 2018 and 2017 Mang Zhi but I drank them up…. Too delicious to keep around too long, I guess… I’m starting to really enjoy these Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi.  My favorite out of the bunch is the 2017.

Peace