Back in February 2019 White2tea club, it featured a new club exclusive shou puer – 2018 Charlie. Charlie is back for the January 2020 White2tea club! 2018 Charlie was one of my favorite shous for its earthy creamy quality. The 2019 Charlie is a bit different adding 1 to 3 year old+ material to the mix, though pressed in 2019. It took me a couple of months to try my shou cake, so it is fairly rested from travel.
Leaf and Steeping Method
The cake has an earth and paper scent.
My gongfu ratio was 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped with boiling water and two rinses. Steeped, Charlie smells like sweet earth with a touch of tangy fruit.
Tasting of White2tea’s 2020 January Club of 2019 Charlie Shou Puer
First Infusion: The rinses were quite cloudy, but the first drinking infusion isn’t as cloudy.
2019 Charlie shou puer is rock sugar sweet and earthy. The aftertaste is a lingering rock sugar sweetness.
Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Infusion: Like last year’s tea, I swear this shou needs 3 rinses. Charlie picks up and is just like eating a chocolate-covered raisin – it tastes earthy, then settles into a chocolate fruity dark raisin sweetness. There is a touch of citrus bitter pith at the end of the sip to add interest. The texture of this shou is silky leaving oily lip, with each sip leaving a brick to feel as it goes down.
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Infusion: 2019 Charlie is lightening up in the last infusions. The shou switched to bright rock sugar sweet, earthy, with a mineral finish and sweet aftertaste. With each steep, the shou gets sweeter and lighter.
Comments
I love these exclusive cakes for the White2tea club and was excited to see the Charlie shou again. Charlie is a solid shou, it’s creamy and highly sweet and earthy, but has some pith and mineral notes to spice it up. I found this tea satisfying to drink and if you are a shou lover you’ll also enjoy it.
2019 Charlie is a tea club exclusive, so I would keep track of White2tea’s club offerings and jump in if you see this one again.
