This is the only repeat offering in the Tea Encounter 2020
Spring release. The 2019 Tea Encounter Bang Dong was an enjoyable, simple, easy drinking, young puerh experience for me
(and others). I notice that Tiago has
delisted the 2019, perhaps, in the hopes that others will opt for this 2020
while fresh. I wonder if this 2020 will
be much of the same? This 2020 Tea Encounter Bang Dong goes for $41.75 for 250g cake or $0.17/g which is cheaper
than the 2019 ($0.20/g).
Dry has a light strongly fruity sweet almost floral candy
like vibrant aroma- an alluring tuti-fruity candy.
First infusion has a light watery onset of airy limes and
fruity tastes. There is a soft
mouthfeeling, slight vegetal base and a sweet almost sour taste that emerges in
the aftertaste. There is a creamy chalky
sweetness that emerges minutes later in the aftertaste.
The second infusion has a slightly sour but mainly sweet
lime, fruit, and vegetal taste then transforms into a floral creamy slightly astringent
sweetness. The result is a very
refreshing vegetal floral fruity sweetness.
The mouthfeeling is chalky and sticky and the throat is sticky at the
upper-mid level. The Qi has a soothing
effect on my body and mind.
The third infusion has a mellow fruity lime floral onset
which almost reminds me of lemongrass, flowers, and coconut cream. The taste is refreshing with a touch of
astringency. The mouthfeeling is sticky,
mildly astringent and there is a floral creamy returning taste with a vegetal
more than sweet aftertaste. The Qi is
mellowing. The upper-mid throat is
mildly stimulated.
The fourth infusion has a lemonade like onset of refreshing
flavours. It is a nice balance between
sour and sweet over a soft mouthfeeling and throat feeling. There is a subtle creamy floral finish with
lime and slight fruits. The Qi is
mellow. I enjoy the easy drinking
lemonade fresh taste and feel on this hot summer day.
The fifth infusion has a lemonade sweet-slight-sour
taste. There are some faint creamy floral
like tastes that come out in the aftertaste with the sweet lemonade taste. There is little to no astringency or
bitterness here. The mouthfeeling is
soft and slightly sticky.
The sixth infusion has a fruity lemonade taste over a soft
tongue coating and mild throat stimulation.
This puerh is very refreshing as I hear the consitant hum of air
conditioning in peak heat of the day.
There is more of a lingering sweet-sour aftertaste of cream and floral
and lime. The Qi is a mild mellow type
of thing.
The seventh infusion has a mellow buttery fruit onset with
lemonade more in the distance. The
tastes lay over a soft mouthfeeling and throatfeeling. There is very little to no astringency or
bitter. The aftertaste is mild
sweet-sour nuance. Mellow Qi. This is a nice sweet and refreshing tasting
puerh.
The eighth infusion has a creamy sweet floral onset with a
faint sourness. There is a more distinct
returning sweetness as the cup cools now.
The sweetness has a creamy, lime, fruity vibe. This puerh tastes a lot like a mojito
cocktail and is very satisfying on this hot summer day. This puerh would taste good iced…
The ninth infusion has a lemonade sweet vibe to it over a
soft and slightly chalky powdery mouthcoat which is building into something
more substantial while still being quite light.
The aftertaste taste has a mild coolness in the breath and a flat
lemonade sweetness in the aftertaste.
The tenth infusion has a creamy buttery floral sweetness
with an underlying lemonade taste that hits a mild coolness on the breath and
kind of skates off into the distance as a soft mild creamy sweetness
returns. The mouthfeel is mild sticky
and soft and so is the upper throat.
Mild mellowing Qi. The sweet
floral taste lingers on the breath.
The 11th has a slightly sour-floral taste that
isn’t quite lemonade but expands into a more buttery and creamy sweetness in
the aftertaste after faint cooling breaths.
The mouth- and throat-feeling is soft and sticky and it manages to stimulate
the upper throat enough to allow for a longer aftertaste of creamy florals. This tea is very comfortable in the body and
is another easy drinker Bangdong.
The 12th has a sour but mainly sweet lime initial
taste with some butter florals coming back in the aftertaste. There is a slight vegetal taste of sweet peas
in this infusion as well. The mouthfeel
is more sticky almost astringent now.
The Qi is relaxing and mild in the body.
The 13th has a light lemonade onset with a slight
salty taste that shows up on the soft mouthfeeling. The aftertaste carries these tastes out over
the span of a few minutes.
The 14th has a saltier woodier lime taste with
sweet taste coming mainly in the aftertaste.
There is not much cool breath here but a lime salty barely sweet finish
over a soft and almost sandy tongue.
Very mild Qi.
The 15th 20 second infusion pushes out more salty
lime vegetal tastes with not that much sweetness left to savor.
I put the rest of the leaves in a mug and grandpa steep out
the rest…
This is a simple, easy going, drink now kind of puerh that
is really refreshing especially for summer time drinking. I can think of some fresh puerh that are maybe more
complex for this price but none as refreshing.
In the next few months I imagine the limeade taste will drop and it will
become more fruity sweet. In many ways
this 2020 is very similar to Tea Encounter’s 2019 Bangdong which is also meant
to be approached in a similar manner. I
go to my sample inventory to do a comparison tasting but realize I did the
right thing by drinking the 2019 up when it was fresh last year. On a hot summer day, I find this Bangdong
irresistibly refreshing as I search for something similarly satisfying amongst
my samples….
Peace
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