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2021 “Reserve” Raw Pu-erh Tea. Guaranteed Harvest From Big Trees (500+ y.o.)
These are all the same Thai trees - fruity, juicy, lively, 100% organic, and a little brutal in the Bulan Shan style. This is a guaranteed material - only from big, about 500-year-old trees. I didn't manage to buy it in '19, in 2020 the emphasis was on oolongs, and now we have '21 harvest in our possession.
The material is roasted in an old-school style, which means the wok is not too hot (250-300ºC). It’s 80% done (100% is green tea) to create storage potential for quality aging.
What is the major difference from the other Thai trees? This material is most prone to develop sweet dried fruit tones. Dried apricots, dates, sweet red dried apples are already clearly present in it — and all this will flourish with every year of aging. I have the proof for that – a few cakes from 2018.
A guaranteed 500+ y.o. trees harvest is obviously more expensive than regular mix with 100 - 200 y.o. trees, but since the tea is young, it remains affordable. The price will go up with time, so I definitely recommend buying it now for aging - hence the name.
You can also purchase a young 2024 version of this sheng in our shop.
Reviews (4)
The tea is very nice to drink, quite smooth and complex. It has some fruity notes, a hint of caramel, a bit of spices, and also a sweet nutty taste (like raw hazelnuts).
The fragrance is complex, with pronounced apricot. The taste reminds me of some of my favorite Yiwu puerhs with their hay sweetness, but [Reserve] with a bit more fruit flavor (and lower price!). I'm really enjoying getting to know this tea; I find myself coming back to it and staying engaged even after many sessions, like a good friend in conversation.
I was visiting Thailand and Valerii was kind enough to invite me into his warehouse and provide a generous sampling of teas. So great to see such nice folks behind such nice teas!
Brief steeps (5-10 seconds) in 90 Celsius water.
Liquor is an almost-clear golden dark amber in look.
Taste has a fruitiness in aroma, similar to unripe stone fruits, a mild bitterness on the palate, and a long aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is slightly dry and sticky, with a hint of astringency.
Wet leaves are dark olive in color with hints of copper tones, giving off a smell of dried apricot.
The flavor intensity starts to mellow down by the 6th infusion, thus best to steep longer from here onwards.
A longer (1-minute) steep gives a more pronounced fruity aftertaste but also a more pronounced bitterness and astringency, which I think should be less after a proper aging.
This young sheng puerh certainly shows potential.
Shows potential, and as usual high value compared to young sheng from Yunan
I'm also keeping an eye to how it matures over the next years..
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