The name of this factory is really the "Zhongguo Yunnan Lincang Qiannian Gucha" Company [China Yunnan Lincang 1000-year ancient-tea], but I'm going to call it "Lincang Tea Co." for now. This cake was very kindly sent from Nada, which he called Sun Tea - I notice that the images around the outside of the cake are leaves with "ST" letters inside them.
The cake is an oddball, consisting of a small, super-tight discus then very loosely pressed in a coating of larger leaves. It feels like "iron wrapped in cotton", to use the taijiquan phrase (one for my San Franciscan readers there)...
Both inner and outer leaves are dark green, and have a forthright aroma of solid shengpu. Gingerly, I work out some leaves from the inner discus and mix them in with some of the large, loose outer leaves.
The soup is dazzling yellow - its clarity thankful indication that I didn't break too many leaves with the knife. Since recent experiences with the 2007 Shi'er Xiansheng "Yiwu", I am going slowly and carefully with the pu'erdao.
In the wenxiangbei [aroma cup], there is absolutely no beidixiang [initial scent, lit. "cup bottom scent"], but an exceedingly long lengxiang [secondary scent, lit. "cool scent"] - this usually leads to a low character of the tea, with some sweetness in the end.
The tea itself is highly appealing: it is low, and slow to open, following the progression in the wenxiangbei, then resounds in an eternal huigan.
With thick texture felt heavily on the tongue and a pronounced cooling sensation, it seems that this is quite a mouthful.
Sweet with straw-like sourness, it reminds me of grapeskins. I am constantly attempting to better expand my "tasting vocabulary", firmly subscribed to the school of thought that says such things may only be learned by experience, rather than reading. There's some good Zen about it, plus it gives me an excuse to drink more tea...
Bright, reviving chaqi feels significant in my body, and I am left very pleased with this cake. Thanks again to Nada for a lovely session.
The cake is an oddball, consisting of a small, super-tight discus then very loosely pressed in a coating of larger leaves. It feels like "iron wrapped in cotton", to use the taijiquan phrase (one for my San Franciscan readers there)...
Both inner and outer leaves are dark green, and have a forthright aroma of solid shengpu. Gingerly, I work out some leaves from the inner discus and mix them in with some of the large, loose outer leaves.
The soup is dazzling yellow - its clarity thankful indication that I didn't break too many leaves with the knife. Since recent experiences with the 2007 Shi'er Xiansheng "Yiwu", I am going slowly and carefully with the pu'erdao.
In the wenxiangbei [aroma cup], there is absolutely no beidixiang [initial scent, lit. "cup bottom scent"], but an exceedingly long lengxiang [secondary scent, lit. "cool scent"] - this usually leads to a low character of the tea, with some sweetness in the end.
The tea itself is highly appealing: it is low, and slow to open, following the progression in the wenxiangbei, then resounds in an eternal huigan.
With thick texture felt heavily on the tongue and a pronounced cooling sensation, it seems that this is quite a mouthful.
Sweet with straw-like sourness, it reminds me of grapeskins. I am constantly attempting to better expand my "tasting vocabulary", firmly subscribed to the school of thought that says such things may only be learned by experience, rather than reading. There's some good Zen about it, plus it gives me an excuse to drink more tea...
Bright, reviving chaqi feels significant in my body, and I am left very pleased with this cake. Thanks again to Nada for a lovely session.
Great review of this. It was refreshing to read about your woes with the pu'erdao as well as the recent post Marshal wrote about growing out of some pu-erh. Not because I have ill will, but because I too, have had a mite of difficulty getting a couple of teas to brew up the way I like, so it not only makes me feel better, but gives me new ideas on controllables to help the overall outcome of each cup.
ReplyDeleteI really think that a healthy tasting vocabulary is important. I was thinking about that last night at a graduation party for a friend. I took my ten-month old daughter and she's just now starting on some solid foods. I was letting her taste watermelon, canteloup, honeydew, as well as the skin of purple and green grapes. Watching the expression of a baby tasting something tarty for the first time is priceless, and it made me realize that I need to pay more attention to the level of detail I put forth when I do my own tasting notes.
Jamus~
Dear Jamus,
ReplyDeleteThank'ee! Brewing tea isn't easy, but I'm learning that time is the only way. :)
I have a similar pleasure to the one you describe when I come across someone that hasn't read Calvin & Hobbes (hence my avatar), and not a little envy, because they get to read and enjoy them for the first time...
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I'm awful at describing tastes with words, so instead of trying and misleading people, I simply don't bother if I can help it :). Physical effects are easier to describe; aromas and tastes are not.
ReplyDeleteHobbes, you've been on quite a streak lately with all kinds of stuff. :)
Dear MarshalN,
ReplyDeleteIt is completely subjective, you're right, and my frame of reference is likely to be absurdly different from the next man's. This is really what motivated me to write the post above this one, my plea for readers to buy samples rather than just taking my word for it - it will lead to disappoint, otherwise.
I have found your descriptions really very useful over the years. Do you remember the time that you worked your way through maocha from the six famous tea mountains? I still remember your descriptions, and compare them to my own experiences that are recently taking shape. It's always a pleasure to compare your thoughts with others - much as we would do if sitting around the same tea-table.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbes,
ReplyDeleteNine months is still new right? Sure it is! I am still so new to this strange world that I have trouble deciding the best way to describe it. I am not really offput by too many of the teas I've had thus far, and found that with a little tweaking, whether it be the amount of leaf in the soup, the type of pot I'm brewing in, or an adjustment to my mood, I can usually find some way to enjoy most of the pu-erh I've encountered. I must say that I deeply value your insight on some of these cakes, and I love the opportunity to compare notes with yours. That said, I laughed when I read your post above imploring the reader to take it with a hefty grain of salt.
It's truly difficult to take in such an experience in a fashion that educates, instills wonder, and keeps your reader awake. The fact that you manage to balance that keeps me coming back. I'm learning just how difficult this is in trying to put all of my notes in one collective, and presently overly wordy place I can share with the world. Maybe someday I'll find my niche, but for now, I feel like a giraffe on ice.
As for anyone who would make a purchase solely on your review, I think they may be missing the point altogether. Either that, or they've come to trust you as a valuable source for information. It's a crazy feeling when your voice carries weight, isn't it?
Jamus~
Dear Jamus,
ReplyDeleteNine months is sort of new, but you should definitely be into hoarding pots and green tea that you'll late come to realise you can't keep for very long. Then, you get into a circle of agony where you have to try and use up this tea mountain you've accumulated before it becomes useless - well, that was my first nine months, anyway. :)
I like to trust people (friends like to call me woefully naive, heh), and so there's a certain amount of hypocrisy in my request - for example, I've just bought a (cheap) cake without trying a sample first on a friend's recommendation, because that friend's taste agrees with mine 90% of the time. And samples weren't available. And and and. Ok, that's enough justification...
I'm glad you're enjoying the site - thanks in return for the lively comments. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbes,
ReplyDeleteAhhh, I think you misunderstand...new to pu-erh, not to tea. However, the larva stage of tea as I call it came a year or so before the pu-erh made it's way into my world. I bought a pound of jasmine white peony from Rishi because I had no idea how much a pound of tea actually was. I'm still giving it away. Good times! ^__^
That's the good thing about buying too much tea - friends love you for it. :)
ReplyDeleteI so appreciate the exhaustiveness of your blog. I pulled out my sample of this tea this morning and before brewing, wondered...has Hobbes provided any comments? Indeed you had and it was so nice to see your thoughts as I prepared to brew.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my sample came from the iron-fisted core of the cake and thus required delicate extraction. Regardless, it poured rather cloudy at first, but was delicious nonetheless!
Dear Tom,
ReplyDeleteYou are far too generous, but thank you.
I seem to remember this cake being really rather delicious - I wonder how it's come on in the last three years?
Toodlepip,
Hobbes