2014 Puerist Mangzhi: A Big Kick!

 

Dry leaves smell of faint fruity sweet fresh notes… very distant.  This 2014 Puerist MangZhi is currently not for sale…

First infusion has a sweet pop with wood a then a sugar finish.  Smooth watery with a long faint cooling on the breath that stretches out with sugar notes releasing and mouth salivating.  Nice solid subtle long sugar taste that returns strong in the saliva producing effect.

The second infusion has a strong rich woody faint plum pop of flavor with a faint underlying bitterness which slowly ekes out some strong saliva producing then long sugar taste.  There is this full but still gentle base to the profile like an underlying bitter astringency but barely and stable but the surgery taste is the dominant.  Nice long cooling throughout.  Strong sighs and chest opening feeling.  Nice sedating calm.

The third infusion has a fruity sweet woody almost dirt pop of taste.  It is clear but also kind of rich and layered fruity taste is almost like dried goji berries.  The sweet sugar taste is throughout but has these layers and nuaces in it.  The age and storage is at a point where is almost like dried fruit and almost like fresh fruit and the edge that its on now is super enjoyable to me.  Nice soft oily mouthfeeling with strong saliva producing and mid-throat opening.  Nice euphoric relaxing happening.

The fourth infusion has a sweet dried raison and goji bitter pop of flavor.  The taste is a rich dried fruity woody bitter taste.  It has a sort of brassy metallic feel and a sugar sweet taste throughout. This infusion has more saliva producing much more intense flavor including bitterness, richness, dried goji in a full throaty mouthfeeling with a big saliva gob stuck in the throat sensation.  Strong Chest Beat and energetic euphoria here.  Almost coco bitterness in the aftertaste but not quite.

5^th has a fruity vibrant goji berries pop of taste with a woody sort of metallic and sort of dry fruity nuance.  There is this long sugar taste throughout. There is this creamy bready almost bitter aftertaste.  Nice mid opening saliva gob in throat feeling.  Nice super relaxing feeling that induces deep meditative sighs.  There is an interesting layering to this puerh between semi aged notes and fresher notes, and a dueling base of both long sugar taste and an almost bitter-astringency taste. Mainly it goes quite sweet though.

6^th has a vibrant fruity bitter sugar- fresh fruity plum and dry goji taste.  The pop of taste is notable as is the quick bitterness that lingers low after the secondary wave.  The result is lots of saliva producing.  Lingering bitter astringency is felt.  Strong euphoric relaxing.

7^th has a creamy bready fruity onset with secondary bitterness and long sugar taste faint long cooling and chalky soft feeling in the mouth with strong throaty feeling like a gob of saliva in the throat.  There is an almost soapy floral nuance to it.  These infusions have this rich faint bitterness base and an ethereal sugar stamina. Strong mind bending relaxing now.

8^th has a buttery bready sweet and almost fruity taste with a low lingering faint bitter-astringency and long sugar taste.  There is a long bready sweet aftertaste and lots of salivating.  Nice mid throat stimulation that is quite nice.  Strong tranquil feeling with strong chest beats and heart beating sensations that reverberate in the body.

9^th has a fruity sweet dried plum and goji taste with a metallic brassy finish in the mouth.  Tastes of fresh fruity and dry and sugar layer.  Nice sweetness here but also a long lingering astringency.  Strong effect on the body/Chest/Heat and tranquil in the mind.  Lingering bitter astringency can be felt in the Stomach.

10^th has a bready peachy vibrant pop with a bitter and astringent finish. Nice long sugar taste.  The astringency builds a bit and I walk away from this one again.

I return the next day to do a few mug steepings and I get some deeper darker notes out of that with still some bitter/astringency and long sugar taste. Overall, this is a strong Mangzhi with some astringency that is hard to overlook, especially on an empty stomach.  I like the Mangzhi area and appreciate the nuance and power to this 2014 Puerhist Mang Zhi.

Vs 2018 Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi- I had this one back to back as a comparison but the Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi are more vegetal and caramel and much more approachable than this 2014 Puerist Mang Zhi which is much more astringent and bitter with much more layering and depth as well. This 2014 Puerist is still not really to enjoy drinking even for me someone who enjoys stronger stuff.  I still think I like the 2018 Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi better than both of these but the 2014 Purist Mang Zhi shows some promise as it ages.

Peace