Mmm, Whispering Pines Tea! I’ve sampled this 2013 Ontario 1357 Shou Pu’er in loose form and it was great. When Whispering Pines had the 2013 Ontario 1357 and 2012 Huron Gold Needle pressed into cakes, I quickly purchased one of each cake the day of release.
The 2013 Ontario 1357 Ripe Shou Pu’er comes in 100 gram cake or in loose leaf. My cakes came with a spiffy cloth drawstring bag stamped with the Whispering Pines logo. I generally store my shou cakes in the open in glass or ceramic containers, so I wonder how good cloth bag storage will be. Comment below if you know!
Dry Leaf
The cake has a dark colour, which was easy to pry off pieces with my pu’er pick.
Steeping Instructions
I used filtered boiling water for my pu’er. I used 8 grams of leaf for 120ml gaiwan. I dumped out 2 rinses then started steeping away with quick 20 second steeps.
Tasting of 2013 Ontario 1357 Ripe Shou Pu’er Cake
2013 Ontario 1357 steeps up a clear light brown with an earthy chocolate scent.
First Infusion: 2013 Ontario 1357 sips in sweet and smooth. It’s light here but I’m getting a good walnut and seedy notes over earth. Each sip is very smooth sip and easy to drink. I inhaled this steeping fast!
Second, Third, and Fourth Infusion: The steepings here get stronger in flavor. The pu’er is bitter sweet with notes of wet earth, walnuts and cream. Very rich sip yet damn smooth like silky cream.
Can I have a pudding of this tea? Yum!
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Infusion: The pu is mellowing out here, a little early that I was hoping. The flavor of 2013 Ontario 1357 is less strong and bitter sweet, but getting more sweet, nutty and creamy.
Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infusion: 2013 Ontario 1357 has lighten even more and finished early. These last infusions are milky with a bit of nut and wet earth, with the final steeping being brown sugar sweet, creamy, and nutty. I had my last cups late in the evening. I found this ripe pu’er didn’t do much for cha qi/ crazy caffeine hit tea manic mode, so it was a nice evening tea! Results may vary.
Comments
2013 Ontario 1357 Ripe Shou Pu’er is a nice daily drinker for it’s easy to drink taste, smooth texture and excellent price. There is no fermented flavor, nor is too bitter. I didn’t get too many steepings, nor got ripping tea drunk, so I think this would be a nice evening pu. I am undecided if I will chug this one for late night writing or tuck away to age.
The price is affordable at $11 for a 100 gram cake, so if you are new to pu’er it’s not too much to spend on your first cake, plus you aren’t stuck with a huge cake. Black tea and coffee drinkers would love this tea!
