Jan 18
Lynn’s Teaview Snapshot
 | " The result was a dark coppery liquor with a smoky, earthy aroma that reminded me of walking in the Maine woods on early autumn mornings when the leaf mould is deep and everything is wet with melting frost. "
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I'm still getting to know pu erhs. I've tried quite a variety and am beginning to get a handle on this unusual category of fermented tea. This one comes in loose leaf form, something of a blessing to neophytes like me, as it makes it easier to measure, as opposed to chipping off bits from a solid molded block. The description of its manufacture is not detailed, but leads me to believe that this may be an uncooked pu erh.
Dry, the leaves are on the small side and a dark, earthy brown. The aroma is earthy and kelpy, or, more precisely, it smells a lot like the dulse (dried purple seaweed) I ate for a treat as a kid.
I measured a teaspoon of the dry leaves into a one cup glass pot, rinsed the leaves with boiling water to open the leaves, then refilled the pot and let it steep for four minutes. The result was a dark coppery liquor with a smoky, earthy aroma that reminded me of walking in the Maine woods on early autumn mornings when the leaf mould is deep and everything is wet with melting frost. The flavor was familiar; true pu erh—wet earth, smoke, with hints of black pepper, wet wood, and cured leather. While I didn't detect much of the promised "natural sweetness," the flavor was deep and nicely complex.
A second steep of five minutes gave me a cup the equal of the first in every way, but now with a bit of that sweetness lacking before. I know some people who wash the leaves twice before they brew a pu erh and perhaps this shows why. Not only is the sweetness, a woody, smoky sort of sweet, there, but it lingers strongly in a lasting finish between sips.
A third steep of six minutes gives up another satisfying, sweet and earthy cup, though considerably lighter in both color and character.
Overall, this is a decent pu erh that delivers a lot in flavor and enjoyment! Be sure to do multiple steeps to get the best out of it. Recommended.
— To purchase Sensational Tea Yunnan Pu Erh, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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