I am not quite sure what Grade 3 denotes with this tea as far as quality, but either way it has no effect on my opinion about it.
The dry leaf smells of mushroom predominantly with a hint of cocoa. There is a slight musty smell that I cannot discern...Not sure if it is from wet storage or just an attribute. It could just be because it happens to be a shou pu.
The aroma of the liquor, not surprisingly, is mushroom.A hint of rye is present in the mix as well.
Rye is something I have never found in a tea before.
The liquor is surprisingly sweet for a shou; a caramel sweetness.If anyone has tried mugicha, that is what this tea reminded me of. Mugicha is a Japanese tisane made with barley that slightly resembles the taste of a cassia seed.
It slides down with a smooth, silky texture. Camphor; cooling.
Latter infusions bring about a musty / dampness.
It is also quite sour around the 6th infusion, a quality I see as negative.
This was a decent shou.Not many people think shou has much to offer, but I find that there is immense variety if one looks close enough.
Comfort on a Friday afternoon.
Fox's review here.
~billy
Aww, I'm sorry it ended negatively (sour) for you. Tea can certainly be both amazing and disappointing...and I hate it when I feel disappointed after drinking tea. It feels like tea hypocrisy. XD
ReplyDeleteIt was really fun trading samples with you. I still have some of your samples in my cupboard. I NEED (that is a command for myself) to drink tea regularly again. *slaps self*
-Fox
P.S. I hope all is going well at college! By the way, how many of your fellow pupils have you brought to the tea side?
MWAHAHAHA COME TO THE TEA SIDE.
Fox,
ReplyDeleteI am definitely not disappointed in any tea; they just all offer something very different and it depends on personal tastes which tea I take a liking to.
This tea was a surprise for me though, I quite enjoyed it and it showed more complexity than a normal shou pu'erh!
Definitely drinking tea regularly is the way to be =]
I have gotten several people to start regularly coming to me for all their tea needs! I have quite a reputation already! I am liking that haha. College life is wonderful, especially in the dorms!
Interesting.
ReplyDeleteDid you find out about the meaning of the Grade 3?
Ice,
ReplyDelete"Grade 3 describes the leaf size/harvest condition. Generally speaking, the smaller the grade number, the younger/smaller the leaf is. But in puerh, higher grade (smaller number) is not always superior to lower grade (like grade 7 or 8). It's all about which grades are the most suitable for the specific formula and the combination of grades (if there is more than one grade)."
Compliments of Gingko on Fox's blog.