2018 Puerist Youle (Ya Nou): A Powerful Youle

This is an interesting Youle for me because it was deliberately sourced by Mark to age based on his tastings of other aged Youle from the same famer and garden specifically in 2013.  This is opposed to most of the other Youle that we in the West have been exposed to that are more for drinking now.  I purchased a sample of this 2018 Puerist Youle which goes for approx. $83.00 for 200g or $0.42/g in my last order from Purist…

Dry leaves a very floral and fruity and sweet and have the odour of fresh grapes almost aritifical grape candy sweetness.

First infusion has a strong buttery floral sweetness in it that has a certain long dense thickness to it and goes deep into the throat like sticky butter.  There is an initial pop of fruity grape then a long thick buttery floral that fades out long and slowly in the throat and breath.

The second infusion has a strong push of heavy fruity buttercup floral thickness that goes the distance in the mouth, throat, and aftertaste breath.  The throat feeling is deep and is stimulated by a faint veil of very mild astringency that pushes saliva on to the tongue.  The mouthfeeling is a thin very full coating dryness.  The Qi is warming and strong and warms the face and relaxes.  The bodyfeel is specific in the face- it feels kind of tingling.

The third infusion has a really thick buttery floral taste with a very sunny fruity thick taste and mid-deep throat.  There is a very faint astringency that pulls saliva over the tongue and extends the taste into the aftertaste with a nice almost bread like and even melon and grain like glimpses.  Very fresh thick floral buttery sweetness.  The mouthfeel is a very full but thin almost dryness.  A strong peachy odour and faint taste is also found throughout the profile.  The Qi is warming in the face with a free spirit and mind like effect.

The fourth infusion has this thick juicy peachy grape burst of taste with a long fragrant floral finish.  Thick oily texture with mid-deep throat and strong saliva producing astringency gives this Youle strength and power.  The taste is long and thick and turns almost into a apricot bread taste.  The Qi is pretty warming and the face feels subtle numbness and the heart starts to race.  There is enough astringency in here that it starts to turn on my empty stomach.

The fifth infusion is left to cool but has a strong floral fruitiness, and buttery taste and with an astringency that continues to increase.  There is a really full almost tight dry mouthfeeling with a very oily viscus mouthfeeling and returning saliva.   Strong enlivening Qi with face sensation and Heart sensations.

The sixth infusion has a less thick fruity floral presentation.  There is some subtle throat coolness and a full thin tight mouthfeeling that works well with a mid-to-upper throat opening and saliva simulating throat. 

The seventh has a bitter astringency to it.  Very thick fruity floral taste, very very fragrant buttery sweet fragrant.  The mouthfeeling is really good.  Very full but thin but kind of tight.  There is a coolness developing.

The 8^th is very oily and much more floral buttery.  The floral taste is really strong and interestingly interacts with the strong mouth and throat presence.  The cooled cup gives off a more bitter melon type of taste which is kind of unexpected.  The taste is strong either way, thick, a bit of astringency.

The 9^th has a bitter melon floral type taste to it with a bit of bitter astringency over there is a distinctly floral melon taste to it. The flat mouthfeel is still there but not as much throat feeling and less cooling and saliva producing now too.

The 10^th has a bitter coco and strong floral initial taste with a melon, floral, fruity coco finish.  There is a full but thin tight tongue coating and a deep cool throat feeling.

The 11^th is bitter coco with a creamy floral onset that stretches over the full thin almost tight mouthfeeling and into a subtle coolness.

The mug steepings are a thick heavy bitter coco deep floral.  This is a super strong and interesting Youle.  The teeth are squeaky and the mind very sedate.  The aftertaste lingers for a long time in the mouth.

This is the most powerful Youle I have sampled since this 2013 Pu-erh.sk Youle.  It is less refined than this one but has lots of power, mouth, and throat presence.  It’s a nice Youle for the price for sure one for aging.

Peace