2025 Zheng Si Long Zhang Jia Wan

Again Zhang Jia Wan cakes from Zheng Si Long are high on the enjoyment scale for me … this 2025 Zhen Si Long Zhang Jai Wan goes for $59.00 for 200g cake or $0.30/g…

Dry leaves smell creamy sweet candy like with faint pungent wildflowers… yummy!

Rinsed leaves

First infusion has a pure watery creamy sweet taste with faint lingering creamy sweet. Soft mouthfeel.  Happy feeling. 

Second infusion has a sweet watery pure creamy almost melon with soft mouthfeel and happy spacy qi.  No bitterness no astringency just pure sweet long taste just what I suspected here… mouthwatering saliva producing with deep sighs of relaxing Spacy happy highs.  Cooled down it is a refreshing watery sweet melon with a soft oily feeling.

Third has a watery creamy sweet oily melon taste. Long sweet taste.  Watery almost woody pure long sweet taste. With soft sticky mouthfeel and light almost body floating feeling.

Fourth infusion has a pure sweet onset with creamy almost melon woody chest beats floating body and happy hi feeling. Long creamy melon taste.  Happy qi is stronger than average in this one with moderate limb and face lightness and body floating.

Sixth infusion has a wokdy long sweet sugar and moon taste with sticky soft mouthfeel and deep throat coolness. Strong happy highs develops now! Light mind and body with limbs and face light and numb!

7th has a pure sweet onset with long sweet almost melon taste.  Big happy feelings and floating bodyfeeling. Wet mouthwatering feeling with soft sticky mouthfeel. Big Qi build up with stronger floating body and mind and happy high floating feeling!

8th infusion has a sweet onset with a pure long sweet taste big chest feelings.  Still very full and vibrant taste very good stamina here with long sweet almost melon uninterrupted in a soft sticky mouthfeel. 

9th I get back to the leaves left in the pot overnight and they are a creamy long sweet slight melon sweet with mid cooling throat and breath. Wet mouthfeeling some mild saliva producing. Happy high feeling this morning.  

10th is a creamy oily wet sweet long sweet taste of mild melon sweet with cool breath and mid throat opening.  Happy fluttering chest with light limbs and bodyfeeling and happy mind. Soft sticky mouthfeel.

11th is a sweet long sweet melon woody oily taste with a soft sticky mouthfeel that is a bit sandy and a returning melon apricot sweetness.

12th is a long mug infusion …it comes out deliciously oily very sweet melon long sweet taste still very mild bitterness butter sweet mid profile.

This is a really nice Yiwu ZhengJiaWan puerh… great value to drink now or to age out!  I like!

Peace

2025 Zheng Si Long Mang Zhi

The Mangzhi area puerh that Zheng Si Long produces is always some of my most enjoyable from them… so I was excited to sample it after a few years… this 2025 Zheng Si Long Mangzhi goes for $67.00 for 200g or $0.34/g.

Dry leaves have an extremely pungent cooling faintly sweet odour.

Rinsed leaves have a sweet pungent almost faint candy odour

First infusion has a sweet pop of sweet sugar almost fruit then almost a metalic woody flat taste.  Long cool breath.  Chest expanding energy.  Slight very mild grainy woody base with sweet pungent overtop. Face is warming. Chest expand. Cooled down it is very sweet juicy fruity with a bit of wood spice. Smooth mouthfeel. Mid throat opening with hard to grasp nuances of candy on the breath.

Second infusion has a watery pungent sort of metallic woody flat taste.  Cooling breath goes into mid throat with an almost soapy candy finish. Chesty flutters and opening chest. Bodyfeeling is concentrated here. Slightly anxious feeling of uplifting energies.

Third infusion is a bit bitter sweet apricot flat almost metallic woody.  Sticky louthfeeel with sqeeky roof and comes with return of fruity peach taste and mid throat cooling opening.  Spacy but slight jittery anxious power buildup. Eyes feel soft lots of chest qi with flutters and expanding feelings.

Fourth infusion has a moderate bitter sweet pop of juicy peachy woody metalic taste with bigger chest feelings and flutters and a long candy peach finish big sighs and face flushing qi. Cooled down it is a sweet pop of woody metalic apricot underneath. Big chest energy with fluttering and expanding feelings.  

5th infusion is a sweet candy with moderate/mild bitter. Squeaky mouthfeeling. Sticky mild grip.  Return of apricot woody metalic with mid/ deep throat opening Dave qi with flushing and chest flutters and opening with a slight anxious spacy upitty feeling.

6th has a bitter moderate taste with sweetness flat wood almost like a metallic taste.  Sticky mouthfeel. Bigger chest opening with energy boost and some anxious energy. Cooled down it is sweet apricot woody metic sort of flat with a slight sticky mouthfeel big chesty feelings and energy boosting while a bit relaxing. 

7th has a sweet oily peachy expanding chest feeling.  Bitter can be felt in the Stomach now.  Cooled down it is a sweet bitter flat sort of metallic wood with a sweet return pop of apricot woody. Sticky mouthfeel. Mid deep thrust opening and cooling.  Chesty qi and eyes heavy relaxing but a bit energy boosting fluttering anxious.

I stop due to the bitter punch and put the rest into a mug for a long steeping….it comes out a flat woody vegetal sort of metallic with a moderate strong bitterness.  Big chest feeling Qi is quite strong.  Long lingering bitterness.

I like the power in here… not crazy power but just right.

Peace

2025 Tea Encounter Yi Shan Mo

 

The 2023 Tea Encounter Yi Shan Mo is one of my favourite Tea Encounters productions if you are considering value and I feel that this 2025 Tea Encounter Yi Shan Mo ($116.00 for 200g or $0.58/g) comes from the same garden… so good… 

Dry leaves have a sweet buttery creamy floral very vibrant…

First infusion has a watery clear buttery taste with sweet pop and long buttery floral sweet sugar taste.  Mouthwatering effect with happy uplifting energy boost.  

Second infusion has a buttery vegetal vibrant slight pungent floral sweet taste.  Sort of like buttery melon sweetness over a mouthwatering wet mouthfeel.  Happy high uplifting feeling with chest flutters and light shoulders feeling.  Revitalizing feelings.

Third infusion is a vibrant buttery oily sweet taste with mouthwatering effect.  Happy strong uplifting high feeling with shoulders heavy and face flushing.  Strong uplifting high feeling with heavy shoulders and chest rising feeling.

Fourth infusion has an oily concentrated sweet butter oil melon sugar sweet taste with mouthwatering wet mouthfeel effect.  Stronger happy high feeling. Long sweet dense melon buttery finish with chest glittering heavy shoulders and face flushing and happy high uplifting energy!

Fifth infusion has an oily very sweet very wet mouthwatering juicy sweet taste.  Chest up movement with heavy shoulders chalky soft mouthfeel mid- deep trust opening.  Dense sweet butter floral sweet taste and energy boost uplifting happy! Left to cool overnight in a cup it’s a buttery deep forest floral.

The next day the 6th infusion has a creamy buttery oily wet mouth sugary melon forest taste.  Big uplifting qi feeling. Flush face happy feeling. Chalky soft mouthfeel. Chest opening feeling. 

7th infusion has a wet sugar fruity pungent forest taste upfront.  there is Sticky mouthfeeling. And uplifting energy high m. Chest qi with face flushing.

8th is a sweet buttery creamy melon sugar sweet taste.  Nice concentrated sweet taste with oily chalky mouthfeel. Wet mouth salivating. Happy high qi with chest opening and sweating.

9th was a long thermos steeping it comes out with a sweet melon almost floral sweet taste with a bland stone mineral taste almost bitter at the finish but still melon sweet. Chalky mouthfeel and high feeling.

Peace

2025 Tea Encounter Laos Gushu - Tianmenshan

Every year I look forward to trying this Laos Gushu blend… this 2025 Tea Encounter Laos Gushu goes for $109.00 for 357g proper cake or $0.31/g.  Always an easy ride..

Dry leaves have a creamy almost faint tropical fruity taste with a pungent almost barnyard gamey faint odour.  Delicious…

Rinsed leaves bring out those tropical sweet notes but also deeper odours as well faint barnyard deep forest.

First infusion has a sharp woody slippery sweetness with an oily mouthfeel banana tropical flavours onset. Then comes a lubricating and saliva producing with tropical faint banana finish over a sticky slippery mouthfeel minutes later. Mild chest flutters.

Second infusion has a sweet quick bitter almost metallic onset with a creamy slippery banana tropical sweet taste distant forest barnyard.  Chest fluttering.  Chest expanding feeling with mild consciousness expanding feeling. Mild bitterness throughout. Cooled down liquid is a zesty spicy cooling pungent with orange peel and marmalade jam sweet tastes. 

Third infusion is a candy sweet tropical chalky mild bitterness.  Complex layered taste with banana tropical and faintly bitter barnyard long aftertaste.  Chest expanding feeling. Long tropical chalky banana taste.

Fourth infusion is left to cool and is a sweet metallic bitter orange peel there are forest, barnyard, tropical fruit and bitter citrus peel tastes over a sticky mouthfeel.  

5th is a sweet banana faint barnyard/ forest left to cool it has a more creamy sugary moderate sweet taste.  With a mild bitterness and sticky mouthfeel. A chalky almost barnyard sweet taste lingers minutes later.   Some chest expanding and relaxing a bit high feeling.

6th infusion has a pungent sweet taste cooled down it is a sweet almost floral melon honey taste with mild bitterness and returns as a creamy chalky sweet taste. Slippery mouthfeel and long sweet almost barnyard forest bitterness.

7th is left to cool and is a sweet mild banana chalky mild bitterness with a forest almost gamey taste. A bland sort of forest gamey taste left in the mouth.  A mild relaxing high with chest expanding feeling. 

8th is a watery mildly bitter with banana and tropical fruits emerging and fading out in the aftertaste where bitter bland and woody barnyard remains.  Relaxing.

9th is a long thermos steeping and is a pungent fairly bitter with sweetness and barnyard taste underneath.  Mild relaxing focus with chest Qi.

Peace

2025 vs 2024 Tea Encounter Walong

This 2025 Tea Encounter WaLong goes for $115.00 for 200g cake or $0.58/g.  This one had a more classic WaLong presentation which, for me, is always a good thing…

Dry leaves have a very creamy very smooth very sweet odour.

Rinsed leaves have a creamy sweet odour with subtle roast and almost fruit odour.

first infusion is a watery pure creamy vegetal sweet taste. Chalky creamy watery. Soft sticky mouthfeel. Mild creamy sugar returning sweet taste long on the breath.

Second infusion has a sweet sort of sugar and pumpkin roasted creamy sweet taste with a mild bitterness developing.  There is a heavy expanding downward moving chest feeling here with a return sugar and bitterness.  Sticky with roof of mouth dry feeling.  Mild bubbling chest feeling.

Third infusion has a strong bitter roasted sweet onset with strong chesty beats now. Expanding chest and energy increase.  Sticky dry roof of mouthfeel.

Fourth infusion has a bitter sweet melon creamy sweet taste with a sticky chalky mouthfeel. Cooled down is really sugary sweet expanding taste.  Chest expanding feeling relaxing mild uplift.

Fifth has an oily almost fruit sweet bitter taste with a returning sugar and creamy sweet mild return. Sticky chalky mouthfeel. Chest bubbling feeling mild relaxing uplift. Mild Sweet chalky taste left in the mouth.

6th is left to cool and is a bitter sweet sugar chalky taste with an almost melon sweet onet and more of a sugar chalky creamy return. Relaxing uplift is mild and chest flutters and Qi is mild to moderate.

7th is left to cool and is a sweet sugary chalky onset with only faint bitterness now returning sugar sweet taste.  Lingering sweet breath melon and almost candy minutes later. Relaxing uplift with mild chest qi now.

8th is left to cool and is a watery faint chalky sweet bitter.  Chest opening and beating with relaxing uplifting. 

9th has a chalky sweet melon sugars onset with some sticky mouthfeel and dry roof of mouth. Relaxing uplift.

10th is a woody dry bark dry roof of mouth with cool breath melon chalky sweet taste with return and breath.  Good stamina here.

11th is an overnight mug infusion… and is a moderate bitterness oily with very mild sweet sugar vegetal taste under the bitter.  Stick dry roof of mouth with rising chest feeling and mild uplifting.

Vs 2024 Tea Encounter Walong

Dry leaves are a very pure sweet candy melon.

Rinsed leaves have a roasted sweet smell.

First infusion has a sweet sugar almost candy taste with roasty notes long candy expanding chalky taste. Chest beats with strong chest qi. Bigger chest expansion and very sweet taste.

Second infusion has a roasted vegital but very sweet sugar onset.  Sweet candy like sweet taste with chalky full sticky mouthfeel.  Long candy breath big chest beats with strong sensation in the chest. Energy boost with strong uplifting and Spacy high.

Third infusion has a sugar sweet chalky creamy almost candy onset with sticky mouthfeel.  Cooling breath. Chest qi big beats and expanding feeling.

Fourth infusion is a bitter wood bark with stage sweet kore on the breath in the aftertaste but the bitterness is long. Face flash and chest expand a bit. Fruity melon in the aftertaste.  

6th has a sugar sweet onset with a dry woody bark mid profile a sugar fruity wood back aftertaste. Sticky mouthfeel. 

7th has a sweet sugar melon woody onset creamy as well but not overly sweet now. Cereal bland tastes more than sweet tastes this late in the session. 

8th has a watery cereal sweet taste… mild uplifting relaxing feeling…

9th is an overnight mug steeping and is sweet with a candy edge to it but also pretty bitter. Chalky mouthfeel uplifting feeling.

Peace 

2025 Tea Encounter ManZhuan

Tea Encounter always has great ManZhuan/ WaLong area teas for the price …  this 2025 Tea Encounter ManZhuan goes for $105.00 for 200g or $0.53/g… it’s one of my favourite from the 2025 line up for the price as it has a very thick/ even stronger mouthfeel the hallmark of Man Zhuan and it will only get thicker with age… 

Dry leaves have a piecing cooling pungent with sugar strong sweet taste slight fruity sweet layers.

Rinsed leaves have a vibrant creamy minty pungent but very sweet odour to them.

First infusion has a watery pure creamy sweet taste with a fine sandy powdery mouthfeel and cooling sweet breath.

Second infusion is a pure clear sweet creamy sugar.  There is a vegetal creamy sweet very vibrant pungent taste.  The mouthfeel is a powdery chalky feeling. Spacy relaxing sighs. Melon sweet chalky taste is le get on the breath.

Third infusion has a very sweet grapes persimmon fruit  taste deeper relaxing and spaced out sigh. Cooled down it is a vibrant chalky creamy slight melon fruity onset with powder chalky mouthfeel and long breath of sweet sugars and creamy sweet.  Deep sighs and relaxing. 

Fourth has a sweet oily watery mouthwatering.  Fruity sweet taste with thick powdery mouthfeeling vibrant juicy moutjwztering fruit…. I really like the thick chalky mouthfeel a lot.  Spacy relaxing sighs deep sigh and chest opening feeling. Tropical fruity finish on breath.

5th has a tangy juicy sweet fruity sugar with a sugar sweet mid profile and more of a fruity finish on the breath. Powdery mouthfeeling.  Deep sigh relaxing with mild uplifting feeling . Chest light feeling. 

6th has a juicy fruity onset sugar sweet mid profile and fruity sweet ending in a thick powdery mouthfeeling. Really like this classic stronger ManZhuan mouthfeel.  Apricot fruit finish on breath. Deep chill out vibe with sighing and mild uplifting feeling. 

7th infusion has a sticky powdery sandy mouthfeel with a woody dry wood sort of mineral taste with sweetness being overtaken by the strong mouthfeel but no young pulling or gagging and not astringent nor that bitter. Chest opening and flutters and energy spikes up! Faint sweet fruit breath.

8th has a sweet bitterness with gripping thick mouthfeel. Sweet undertones but strong mouthfeel overtakes the taste. Relaxing chill going on.

9th is an overnight mug steeping… and it is an oily mild/moderate bitterness with a minty pungent taste sweet sugar creamy taste under the bitter. Chest expanding feeling.

Peace

2025 Tea Encounter Guafengzhai Chaping

This 2025 Tea Encounter Guafengzhai Chaping ($230.00 for 200g or $1.15/g) is the most honest straightforward GuaFengZhi character of the three Guafengzhai I sampled from Tea Encounter and it’s a really good one…. I value the classic character of this one quite a bit… which usually would elevate a classic and delicious GuaFengZhi to a favourite of mine but I was in a different mood this year….

Dry leaves have that delicious very sweet fruity cloying pungent savory odour that makes your mouthwater.

Rinsed leaves have a very sweet pungent fruity almost potato and wildflowers odour.

First infusion has a watery pure clear sugar cooling pungent onset with some cereals taste and evolves into a sugary floral taste with a wet mild chalky feeling in the mouth with saliva producing and deep throat cooling and sweetness lingering there.  A strong euphoria and body floating and limbs tingling bodyfeel.

Second infusion has a full chalky mouthfeel with evolving strong sweetnesses long chalky fruity pungent potato sweet taste nuances and depth- initial sweetness, sweet return, deep throat sweetness and breath lingering sweetness! It’s got it!  Mouthwatering mouthfeel deep throat opens with sweet fruity lingering there is a cereals/ potato taste as well but a strong dominant elbowing sweet taste.  Spacey euphoria high is strong with floating and tingling limbs also strong… 

Third infusion has a sweet sugar creamy fruity taste with long sweet finish. Chalky full mouthfeel with face sweating arms tingling and floating feeling with euphoria high with is pretty strong.

Fourth infusion has cereals and potato under notes with flushing face chest release and tingling arms happy rush of euphoria. 

5th has a very sweet creamy candy pungent evolving sweet taste in thicker chalky mouthfeel deep sweet lingering on breath. Euphoria highs and light flaring body. 

6th fruity thick juicy initial taste with a cereal.  Cooled down it is very sweet creamy fruity pungent dense sweet taste with cooleimg sweet breath and deeper throat.  Yummy. Euphoria. Chest and face floating and flushed. Bigger qi feelings.

7th is left to cool and is a watery sweet fruity chalky full chalky evolving into a creamy sweet with oily juicy onset creamy chalky mid sweet with full chalky mouth deep cooling throat with lingering sweet breath aftertaste and cereal distant tastes. Big chest rising and face flush wirh euphoric feeling.

8th is sweet fruity juicy creamy sweet taste full dense sweet taste. Cereal base long breath sweetness still euphoric feeling but less flaring.

9th is left to cool and is woody sweet water with cooling pungent breath and fruity creamy sugar finish dense tastes and euphoria qi. Big chest rising up feeling euphoria highs. Soft chalky full feeling in mouth.

10th is a long overnight mug steeping… it is a very sweet sugar chalky sweet taste with melon pops and long mild bitterness throughout.  Big chest opening and bitter sweet chalky taste lingering on the tongue and breath.  

Out of the three 2025 Tea Encounter Guafengzhai offerings this one has the most classic Guafengzhai taste to it…. I like Chaping very much for this reason… I’ve purchased cakes of this one in the past from Tea Encounter in the past for exactly this reason! But this year I find the other two GuaFengZhi just a bit more interesting especially in their Qi!

Peace