2021 GABA sheng pu'erh! tasting notes: peanut shells and tobacco sweetness, slightly drying, not bitter at all. suggestions of stonefruit skins dance around a hint of rockiness at the core of the flavor, and what's more, it makes you want to put your pants on in the morning. this leaf will give you a real clean energy to focus on and motivate you to do whatever you gotta do during the day. we simply love a young sheng
this is a highly floral and energetic [soft s] dancong oolong. floral, grassy, with a mineral taste that girds and grounds the fresh and vibrant plantyness. in general i don't go for highly floral teas but i was doing a gongfu session for the family today and i wanted to provide a wide range from leaf A to leaf B. oolongs are partially oxidized traditionally so you can get a really complex, yet delicate flavor from this type of tea.
speaking of leaf B, it was this: https://white2tea.com/products/2022-gingerbread-man
this is a mighty fine introduction to the tea concept of huigan, where after you swallow the tea and breathe again, it provides a sensation. in this case, it's an almost mentholy cooling sensation with a little bit of sweetness. the tea itself is a ripe (shou or shu 熟) puerh, meaning it's been wet pile fermented quickly to sort of simulate the drinking experience of Very Highly Aged raw (or sheng 生) puerh. puerh in general is originated from the Yunnan province, although the technique is mostly what's being referred to here. the tea itself is robust and earthy without being cloying, the liquor is thick yet the flavor is remarkably light, and you get a sort of molasses flavor going once the leaves soften, separate, and are fully awakened. very interesting tea, feels good to drink. not my favorite ripe puerh, but it's very good and it's also a great way to demonstrate one of the crucial aspects of tea tasting.