Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pu erh - Shen Nong Wild 2005

Harvest year: 2004 Spring
Production year: 2005
Name: Shen Nong Ye Sheng Cha Bing
Tea type: Wild Large Leaf
Region: Xi Shuang Ban Na Ba Da Shan--Ba Da Mountain
Maker: Meng Hai County Xiang Shan Tea Factory
Weight: 357 g

This cake is composed of entirely wild grown tea leaves from the deep woods of Ba Da Mountain. Spring harvest including large young leaves and buds covered with white downsWet leaves are tender, soft and thin. Signs of high mountain tea.
Leaves can be as long as 3 to 4 inches long, still thin, tender and translucent. Only high altitude old tea trees can grow large leaves with this thinness.

Taste is floral, soft with a bit of sour. The sour taste is from aging -- not astringency, anything green (green tea, green oolong, green pu-erh) will turn sour within 10 years of aging. This tea is about 5 years old, so sour is essential and not a negative characteristic. It is a good sign that the post fermentation is taken place. Although it has a sour note, but not strong, it's easily over powered by the floral note and Yun - thick sweet and nourishing texture that last a long time from mouth down to throat. It has an obnoxious effect due to its wildness. I felt tipsy after a couple of infusions. Over all, it tastes great as is now, and will taste excellent in 10 to 20 years. You can put this cake to contest with any other pu-erh. It's that good!

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