1982; var. assamica, and/or Qimao( taliensis); prepared in Menghai, Yunnan, packaged in Hong Kong, stored in Kunming, Yunnan; bud & 3-4 leaves, Menghai Wò Duī(握堆) Shou Pu’er process; elev. unknown; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.

Infusion: 5g in 150ml, #ColdBrewed for 12hr@4deg. C

Dry leaf aroma: dusty, dank, murky, dried portabello/shitaki mushroom;
Wet Leaf Aroma:murky, dank, musty, wet forest floor;
Liquor: deep, dark red colour, with a dusty, swamp water aroma;
Mouthfeel: moderately thick, mildly stimulating, slightly astringent, vague sweet finish;
Taste: floury, earthy, mineralish, with an intense, funky, retronasal dominance;

Opinion: This tea was packaged as a premium tea in Hong Kong then stored in the can in humid conditions for who knows how long.

The internal bag was perforated with tiny holes and the bottom of the can heavily rusted. This indicates that the storage was quite poor. YET some people seem to like it’s funky flavour.

I keep coming back to this tea to see if I can brew it right. Air it, give it time to breath. Maybe the problem lies with me? Yet each time I drink it, to me? It just tastes like swamp water, and not in a good way.