2018 Zheng Si Long Ding Jia Zhai vs Fresh Maocha

I had generously received some 2018 Zheng Si Long maocha in the Summer of last year which I documented here on this blog.  Months later, the kind soul which is Tiago of Tea Encounter also sent some complimentary samples from the pressed cake of the same maocha.  I thought it would be interesting to take some detailed notes on these cake samples a year after they were first picked and compare them to my notes and memory of the very fresh maocha.  This is the first of 3 such comparisons…

This 2018 Zheng Si Long Ding Jia Zhai sells for $114.49 for 400g cake($0.29/g), which to me is a steal for Yiwu single origin material.  I liked this Ding Jia Zhai maocha as a value option runner up to my top 3 Zheng Si Long, there was something I liked about the way it made me feel.  The below is a detailed tasting of the cake sample.  This puerh had more changes than most over the last year, which is interesting to note, at times I even wondered if it came from the same pressed maocha…

The early maocha notes of the same material are as follows:

Distinct fruity odour of cherry, fruity, creamy sweet, slight pungent noted dry leaves.  Round fruity aroma, woody mid-profile then sweet strawberries.  Tongue coating.  Distinct fruity cherry/ strawberry/ wood taste.  So Yiwu.  Lots of complex movement of tastes in the profile.  Lingering fruitiness. No bitterness. Spacy Qi.  But centering feeling.  Comfort in Stomach.  Full feel in mouth and mid throat, fine sandy slight squeaky feeling.  Soft cooling fruit sweetness returns.

Dry leaves smell of a mineral wood very faint sweetness.

The first infusion starts off slightly mineral rock and with lots of green vegetal wood.  There is a very faint sweetness and finishes a touch spicy, vegetal, and bitter.

The second infusion has a strong fresh cut grass vegetables almost like a Japanese Sencha.  There is a bitterness to it as well as mineral.  The aftertaste has a vegetal floral nuance in the aftertaste.  Strong vegetal fresh grass, bitter, mineral, slight floral almost dry wood.  There is not much cooling in the throat or sweetness in this one.  It has a much more savory feeling.  The Qi is heady.  The mouthfeeling is a flat wet coating, like after licking a rock or stone.

The third infusion starts a creamy, vegetal fresh cut grass bitterness, the mid profile is wood and mineral, the aftertaste is vegetal almost floral.  No coolness, no sweet.

The fourth infusion starts with a nice thicker broth, the vegetal bitterness is less, there is a mild coolness then a creamy and slight pineapple sweetness, plumb and creamy faint long aftertaste.  There are still lots of mineral and fresh cut grass but the sweet aftertaste now stands out.

The fifth infusion starts with a savory vegetal onset in the thicker broth.  There is a very very mild coolness then a long creamy fruit aftertaste with mineral, slight wood, almost spiciness, barely floral and a distinct vegetal note.  The mouthfeel is slippery and the upper throat is simulated mildly tight and opening.  The qi has a nice body feeling of slow heaviness in the shoulders and lightness of the legs.  I can also feel a warm, chest knotting feeling.

The sixth infusion starts with a thicker soupy density with mineral, grassy vegetal, a nice floral note is coming out more distinctly here smooth vegetal, floral, faint creamy sweet aftertaste.

The seventh infusion starts thick and vegetal and mineral and ends with a ghostly pungent and long grass vegetal bitterness and distinct floral.  This profile reminds me of a high quality sencha in its grassy, floral and bitter-sweet profile. The body feeling is super interesting.  A warmth builds in the body.  The mouthfeeling becomes chalky now and the throat also opens to a mid-level.

The eighth infusion is very green tea like, very “green” as they say.  It has a moderate fresh grass, vegetal bitterness, suggestions of minerality, nice thickness not really sweet in aftertaste more like a green vegetal bitter floral thing.

The ninth infusion starts bitter sweet, vegetal then slides into a green tea like floral vegetal bitterness.  The qi of this tea is real nice, almost warming despite its bitter, vegetal taste. Body sensation is good, nimble, feel it in lower legs, shoulders, chest.  This qi makes me feel happy.

The 10^th and 11^th is thick feeling of vegetal faint florals and barely sweetness.  The mouthfeeling is a bit tight the throat opens at the mid upper level.   The 12^th is much the same, the mouthfeel is a chalky tight feeling that comes off really thick and reveals fresh grass, florals.

The 13^th infusion starts predictably thick very thick onset of vegetal grass, and ends in vegetal floral.  The mouthfeeling has a thick coat of paint on it.

The fourteenth has a nice sweetness to it.  A bitter almost creamy sweet alongside florals, mineral rock and fresh grass.  The mouthfeel is nice with a thickness of the liquor on top.

15^th is starting to become a bit juicy thick but not in a sweet way, in a viscus and mild vegetal floral way.  The sweetness is starting to come out more in these later infusions.  It has a soft creamy sweet feel to it now in a thick broth.

16^th is juicy thicker onset with a lingering creamy sweetness throughout.  Only a mild vegetal taste is present in these later infusions.  The profile now mainly consists of juicy thick body and mild smooth underlying creaminess.  17^th is much the same, mild sweetness is a juicy thicker bodied liquor.

18^th is still going with a nice thick feel and simple but distinct creamy sweetness with a barely detectable cool pungent on the inhale. 19^th is still thick and strong feeling, not weak at all- this puerh has very nice stamina and really comes together nicely in these later infusions.  A distinct creamy sweetness in a rich thick liquor is nice.  The other flavor elements of vegetal, mineral, grass and floral are really faint and kind of pop up and disappear giving the puerh some depth this late.

I go on like this for a few more infusions and enjoy them like this…

Compared to the fresh maocha this 1 year cake sample has a way different dry leaf odour.  The fresh maocha is much more fruity and sweet where the cake was more savory and woody.  I said that the maocha had lots of movement of flavors and I think the cake is simpler but still enough change infusion to infusion.  The maocha was much more sweet and fruity and the cake sample was more bitter and vegetal tasting initially likely because I stuffed a lot more leaf into the pot.  The later infusions show more of the taste qualities that I found in the maocha.  The mouthfeeling was full for both but the broth felt thicker in a cake sample.  The centering and almost warming qi sensation doesn’t change.  Overall, there is lots of change in the 1 year aged cake.

Overall, I don’t really think the tastes of this Ding Jia Zhai is super interesting.  Whenever I think of Ding Jia Zhai I can't help but get the images of old corduroy recalling Hobbes say "Dingjiazhai is about as sexy as old corduroy".  None the less, this one is a puerh of nice stamina, slow to build and thick in the mouth.  I like these qualities of this puerh.  It has very nice savory and vegetal profile in a very thick broth that holds things together nicely.  Those who like a savory puerh will enjoy these tastes more.  It is most enjoyable at the 15-25 th infusions which speaks to its quality.  Mainly I really like the Qi in here and the way my mind and body feel.  This is why I consider it a runner up when considering the price.  Where can you get 2018 Yiwu puerh of this quality at this price?

Peace

2014 Zheng Si Long Ding Jia Zhai and Warming Qi

I enjoyed the 2018 Zheng Si Long Ding Jia Zhai maocha for its nice Yiwu like base favor and warming qi.  Very different from other tea of Zheng Si Long that I have sampled in this recent focus of Zheng Si Long that Tea Encounter is offering.  I wondered how similar this 2014 Zheng Si Long Ding Jai Zhai ($168.36 for 400g cake or $0.42/g) would be…

Dry leaves smell of a distant malty and hay like sweetness.  Deep darker odours.

First infusion has a nice warming spiciness to it with a brown sugar like sweetness to it.  It has a mineral rock-like taste as well as woodiness to it.  The returning sweetness is almost like a pear and potato taste.

The second infusion starts with a mildly sweet woodiness there is a short burst of warm spice sweetness that you would get from cinnamon that is very mild and quick moving here.  Its liquor is a touch light still with sandy edges in the tongue and mouth.

The third infusion has the cinnamon almost brown sugar sweetness in a lighter broth.  It moves to a mild woodiness before this same sweetness returns on the breath.  It fades to an almost faint bubble gum sweetness barely recognizable in the distance.

The fourth infusion has a fruitier, almost candy-like mixed with cinnamon and spiced plumbs, kind of sweetness that shares the profile with a mild woodiness.  There is a bread taste in there now as well an almost chicory, licorice taste too.  The mouthfeel is becoming sticky now with sandy edges in the mouth.  Not as much in the throat.  The returning sweetness is higher noted than the main body of the profile that peaks minutes later.

The fifth infusion has a deep lighter molasses taste too in the returning sweetness is of spiced cinnamon and plumb.  There are lighter fruity tastes almost bubble gum that are faint in the aftertaste that contrast the deeper tastes.  The mouthfeel is a touch sticky and slightly grainy.  The qi of this tea is warm and comforting in the core but the forehead feels cool and the head a touch light.

The sixth infusion has a dense foresty deeper chicory and licorice type of sweetness initially then returns as a lighter muted candy sweetness.  The mouthfeel is becoming sandier and less sticky.  A very mild lingering menthol is in the breath later.

The seventh infusion has a more pronounced leathery brown surgery like sweetness initially over a foresty taste then it returns as a higher, almost fruit, sweetness.  A faint candy/bubble gum taste lingers on the breath.

The eighth I push a little harder with 5 seconds more than flash and receive woody sweet notes with a fruity plumb subte menthol finish.  There is still that lingering high-noted candy taste on the breath.  Even a cinnamon taste lingers minutes later in the mouth.

The ninth- I add 10 seconds to the flash and receive a woody base taste with strong mellow low fruity tastes that look similar to the eight.  The qi can be felt in the chest and a bit heavy in the digestion.

The tenth- I add 20 seconds and get a robust woody, slightly warmer, spiced fruity plumb taste.  It’s a nice classic Yiwu taste for me.  There is that overly highnoted finish in here that I find appealing and gives this tea some interesting depth to it- not just deeper Yiwu tastes nor just fuffy Yiwu high notes.

The eleventh infusion I steep 40 seconds longer than flash and have a really beautiful infusion full of dense flavor fruity flavours- both high sweetness and low brown sugar sweetness.  The bubble gum sweetness is more throughout but strong in the aftertaste the tongue coating is sticky and full.

The twelfth infusion, I’m steeping at about a minute and it gives off deeper tastes with a licorice/ woody taste overall.  The higher notes are embedded almost overpowered by the deeper sweeter tones and woody even mushroom tastes now.  The thirteenth is much the same licorice, almost medicinal, sweetness.

I push this tea into overnight steeps from here.

Overall this one is darker, deeper and warmer than any Zheng Si Long I’ve tried.  It’s so familiar in many ways to the 2018 maocha that I’m confident enough that it came from the same family in Ding Jia Zhai.  Nice warming feeling to this one.

Peace

 

2018 Mr. Zheng’s Selected Maocha

It has been a while since I sampled a decent number of puerh this fresh.  These five maocha samples were personally selected by Mr. Zheng of Zheng Si Long.  I can imagine him matter-of-factly rejecting hundreds of others as he did in that video.  It was passed on to me that they may or may not be the actual maocha used in his 2018 line up.  Nor do they represent the processing end product of the puerh he did chose to select.  Rather, they are used to give us an indication of the quality of these puerh producing areas this year and, for me, the skill and character to which Mr. Zheng selects for his puerh.

Thanks again to Tiago (aka Curigane) of Tea Encounter for sending this treat.  There is no time more natural then the peak of Summer to drink such young raw puerh.  I imagine the 2018 line up will be up for sale in a few weeks/ months.  I hope to also review the actual 2018 Zheng Si Long puerh samples when they arrive. But for now, let me present this teaser…

2018 Yibang Maocha

Pungent, fairly intense sweetness, honey, floral, rainforest smells, less high and deeper than some small leaf Yibang dry leaf. Icing sugar, floral finish, sweet, foresty, top sticky mouthfeeling, very yibang character, nice mouthfeel sticky mouth roof, soft flowing qi, subtle tropical fruit and floral finish, mild cooling, interesting faint fruit finish, subtle, can feel some head floating, qi behind eyes, Qi goes to the head. Clean. Slight sticky cheeks. Slight floating feeling. Release eye tension.  Vision sharpened.  Thoughts clear.  Very mild astringent.

2018 Ding Jia Zhai Maocha

Distinct fruity odour of cherry, fruity, creamy sweet, slight pungent noted dry leaves.  Round fruity aroma, woody mid-profile then sweet strawberries.  Tongue coating.  Distinct fruity cherry/ strawberry/ wood taste.  So Yiwu.  Lots of complex movement of tastes in the profile.  Lingering fruitiness. No bitterness. Spacy Qi.  But centering feeling.  Comfort in Stomach.  Full feel in mouth and mid throat, fine sandy slight squeaky feeling.  Soft cooling fruit sweetness returns.

2018 Xiang Chun Lin Maocha

New producing area for me.  Creamy sweet, slight vegetal-like intense berry fruity sweetness in the dry leaves.  Starts savory, seaweedy, rainforesty, long subtle berry fruit/creamy sweet finish.  Sticky full mouthfeel.  Berry taste pops nicely in very full sticky mouth.  Long sweet cooling berry aftertaste.  Feel qi on forehead and brow.  Slowness in the mind.  Heart noticeably beating now. Vigorous and relaxing very early in session.  Nice dizzying Qi.  Green tea-like, vegetal suggestions.  Reminds me of boarder tea.  Creamy sweet taste dominates with long cooling sweet menthol.  Slowly becomes softly astringent in mouth and mid-throat.  Fairly big Qi sensation in head- very relaxed but acuity strongly sharpened.

2018 Mang Zhi Maocha

Incense, foresty-mossy, slight sweet, savory, almost seaweed, distant floral dry leaves.  Very savory, seaweed-like, with monotone sweet note, thick slight drying mouth coating in front of mouth and lips, slight wood, slight briny.  Barely floral/ menthol finish. Floral finish builds and become more distinct.  Woody base taste, floral finish. Mild, Slow to build Qi.  Gripping mouthfeel.  Slow to develop taste but nice when it does.  Sweetness slowly builds up. Wanted to keep going.  Distinct chest knotting Qi under sternum.

2018 Ge Deng Maocha

Intense fruity, cherry, foresty deep, sweetness, cherrywoods in the dry leaves.  Mild icing sugar onset, slight cherry fruit and mild cooling floral, cherry candy sweet finish. Dominating deeper forest woody base under less obvious high notes throughout. Deeper mid- throat feeling. Gripping mouthfeeling felt in back mouth fuller mouth covering. Medium astringent/ bitter.  Opening in throat.  Mild Qi in back of neck/shoulders. Nearly warming.  Woody tastes dominate high notes faint on the breath/ returning sweetness. Turns into mainly woody tastes.

Peace