This 2012 Mengsong xiaobing sells for 20 eur / 250g. Peter notes that this is made from "60-year-old" trees rather than his usual "gushu" trees.
The maocha, pictured below, comprises medium-sized leaves in large fragments. It has a purely green sweetness, giving little away at this stage.
The yellow-orange soup has a somewhat roasted scent in the wenxiangbei [aroma cup], which appears in the nose after drinking. This is clearly a "lesser" tea, in comparison with its three sisters: the body is thinner, there is less occurring in the soup, and, while it is pleasant, it does seem more of an "everyday" tea. Peter [the owner of Pu-erh.sk] referred to it as just that, in fact.
The leaves seem healthy enough, as shown below, but I cannot see myself pursuing this one much further.
How about the 2012 Youleshan?
Youleshan is the old name for what is now Jinuoshan, in Xishuangbanna. This xiaobing sells for 38 euro/250g.
The fragmented leaves, shown above, have a low, sweet scent that can be very encouraging in a 'Banna tea.
Its yellow soup, shown below, retains the low, sweet scent of the dry leaves, mixed with the pleasant butteriness of immediate youth. Likewise the character in the mouth, which is deep, tart, and sticky-sweet, with pronounced cooling.
Peter wrote that the character of this tea is "somewhere between Yiwu and Banzhang", which is very perceptive: it has the sweetness of the former, with some hints of what I consider to be the grape-and-leather complexity of the latter.
This is a clean and good tea; I like it a little less than the remarkable Badashan cake that I bought in quantity, but I did enjoy it very much.
Later infusions develop a vivid sweetness that is most satisfying. The almost biscuit-like base is not ideal, but this contribution recedes by the fourth infusion.
Not buying this cake was a close call: it was closely beaten by the 2012 Badashan and the 2012 Mannuo, both of which were rather awesome.
7 comments:
Hi there Hobbes,
I should really try some of puerh.sk's cakes, but I'v e got a shoebox full of samples and haven't tasted last years YS or EoT's cakes yet....
Terje
The Youle I drink when I want special tea is more of a cross between Yiwu and Lao Man'E (without that type of bitterness) rather than with Banzhang, per se. I call the biscuit-ness, tootsie roll-ish. Don't worry, you would have grown to like it.
I do think there's a good chance you might have made a mistake in not getting this one. Older Youle are far deeper than older Bada. If that was a good one (does it have qi?), well, remember that 2002 Qingbing? Bada is weighted towards getting herby, and needs substantial moisture to get particularly deep in taste.
Be advised, I think we're talking about only a certain kind of Longpa Youle. Most of the rest are pretty fizzy floral and fruity that won't get too much depth.
Dear Terje,
What a luxurious situation to be in. :)
Dear Shah,
I don't feel as if I have a very good handle on Youleshan character - and this after drinking four different teas from that region over the past few days. It is elusive. I shall give it more time, and (much) more drinking. ;)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hello Hobbes,
In my amateurish opinion YouLe 2013 is more interesting. And Bada 2013 too. :)
About "far deeper" will become clear after a few years.
Dear Vovic,
Thanks for the comment! By chance, I had the 2013 Youleshan cake from Pu-erh.sk today. I look forward to trying the Badashan cake from this year, given my love of the 2012. I appreciate Peter's approach to making pu'ercha, which seems very healthy.
Best wishes, and toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hi Hobbes,
bought both cakes because I am a sheng beginner and the had a chance to buy the MengSong for almost half price and it was a bargain especially for young teadrinker.
In a case of YouLe it was different I liked the from the first sight. I like the fruitiness and sweetness with apricot aftertaste.
Dear Matej,
Half-price, you say?! :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
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