Mandala Tea has a number of incredible sheng that I hold dear to my heart, but also hold up as quality tea despite me drinking them very early in my puer drinking journey. Today, I got a sample of 2021 Seven Steps. I found the 2020 Seven Steps on their website, maybe this is a new one or a mislabel? Either way, this sheng is said to have some high tea energy, so let’s rock!
Leaf and Steeping Method
Seven Steps Sheng smells of amber incense and bruised apricots.
My gongfu ratio is 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in boiling water. After a rinse, it was like opening a box of golden raisins as the smell was fruity and oxidized.
Tasting of Mandala Tea’s 2021 Seven Steps Sheng Puer
First, Second, and Third Infusion: Seven Steps Sheng starts off sweet and thick with tasting notes of bamboo leaves, oak, and honeysuckle floral aftertaste. The more I sip, the more the floral aftertaste shines through. There is a tickle of dryness in the back of my throat. The tea has a thick almost mochi chew to it and drinks like a meal as I feel full just sipping it.
Fourth Infusion: The tea shifts to a golden raisin note, then shifts to a cooling bamboo. The floral is going more fruity and more delicious sweet raisins. My body doesn’t know what to do as it feels warm and jolted awake, then refreshed after drinking the cup.
Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Infusion: At this point, Seven Steps Sheng got dark amber in colour.
Goose is cooked and this Seven Steps Sheng is astringent drying the heck out of my throat. This is why they recommended a lower temperature but I cannot resist testing a tea.
Seven Steps Sheng has a soft bitterness, like intense plum skins, lots of golden raisin taste, oregano, driftwood, and a tart plum skin finish that lingers forever. I sat here distracted by youtube and could still taste the plummy aftertaste.
Late into the tea session, I could feel pressure on my temples and a desire to take a nap, but I am also supercharged, almost like a refreshing powernap of a tea.
Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Infusion: Settling down as the flavor fade. Initially, Seven Steps Sheng isn’t bitter and tasting honey sweet but the flavor builds with each sip to be a medicinal herbal with a fruity finish.
Comments
Great energy on Mandala Tea’s 2021 Seven Steps Sheng (or 2020?) as I felt I was being tossed around – this sheng drinks heavy, making one slow down, but also feel energized and relaxed. If you love shengs with some middle-aged elements and leaning more on the meditative side, this is a lovely one.
Seven Steps Sheng is on the bitter and astringent side, so have the taste for that or adjust your water temperature accordingly. The thick sticky texture is nice to have at high temperatures, but lower will increase the sweeter notes longer.
(received tea as a free sample with my tea purchase)
