One of my favorite recurring teas in the White2tea club – 50g mini cake of some gushu, this one a 2022 Spring Old Arbor Raw Puer.
Admittedly, these little cakes get lost in my pumidor, but that’s the only way I keep my hands off them. I know in a few years I’ll be in for an epic tea treat.
The scent of the leaves is zesty honey wheat and floral.
As usual, I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped at a boil. I drank the rinse. The leaves smell fresh, wild honey, and a looming acidic.
Tasting of 2022 May White2tea Club’s 2022 Spring Old Arbor Raw Puer
First, Second, and Third Infusion: The first infusion, and I mean by very first as I felt like drinking this rinse today to scrub out the protein smoothie. 2022 Spring Old Arbor Raw Puer is thick, puffy, and sweet, the texture is thick and slippery. As this tea opens up, tastes citrus pith and sweet grass, floating around some watery floral honey. It’s a young tea and fresh, so there’s still water and softness reflected in the flavor. The aftertaste is snappy arugula.
Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Infusion: As this young sheng steeps, it gets more crunchy and punchy vegetal dandelions and my brain keeps wandering off. The flavor is getting stronger, as well as the aftertaste, tasting of bitter vegetables. As the aftertaste fades, it is a subtle floral note.
Each steeping gets more punchy, savory bitter, but the aftertaste is more bitter carnations and stewed jasmine.
And with each steep, my head is throbbing its own dance party and my distractibility “SQUIRREL” gets worse. This tea session is taking a while as I tab off to do other things.
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Infusion: 2022 Spring Old Arbor Raw Puer continues to be punchy and bitter and my head is swirling off into the distance. The tea is going back to soft notes as it steeps out, but still holding onto bitterness. Texture wise, this sheng is a bit sticky and dry, but not off putting at all, all while holding onto a strong jasmine aftertaste. The final infusion is super light, dry, and softly bitter.
These small cakes from the White2tea Club never disappoint. 2022 Spring Old Arbor Raw Puer is an excellent tea with lots of old tree energy. This one seemed especially potent and bitter tasting. I had a squirrel party in my brain, enjoying the contrasting bitter vegetal tastes and heavy floral aftertastes. I could probably drink this again fresh, but best to let it get lost in my pumidor.
