Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er is a 2010 pu’er. This tea is from Tea Setter, an online tea seller.
I was really curious of the name of this tea “Ethical Agriculture” which prompted me to contact Tea Setter. “Ethical Agriculture” is the name of the chinese tea producer, translated into English. I also found out Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er tea leaves were picked from wild tea trees on a remote mountain area in the Yunnan Province. Very cool!
Dry Leaf
The leaf is lightly earthy pu’er scent. I could barely smell the leaf unless my nose was right on the pu’er! The sample I received was in chunks, as if from a cake.
Steeping Instructions
The package of Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er states 212F water and starting with 10-15 second steepings.
I was about to use my gaiwan, however a Squid appeared with my pu’er yixing pot suggesting I use it.
I used my yixing pot, doing 15 second steep increases for the first 4 infusions, increasing to 30 second to 2 minute infusions as I went on.
With the first infusion I get a peachy brown-tinged tea, very pretty!
Tasting of Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er
First Infusion: Wow, this pu’er is quite light, quite unlike those robust and thick pu’ers! There is a thick creamy mouth feel, taste and texture throughout the entire sip. Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er sips in amber sweet with a mid and end sip finish of dark hardwood and tobacco.
Second, Third, Fourth Infusion: The colour has changed to an appealing burnt orange.
The flavor has gotten stronger, but yet light weight unlike other ripe pu’ers. The creamy texture, vanilla and sweet amber flavor is still there adding a nice smoothness to the tea. Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er has developed more of its woody flavor to be campfire burnt wood. No bitterness, dryness or fermentation qualities in this tea.
I missed this in the first infusion, but I noticed something as I took a break to refill the kettle. Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er has an AMAZING aftertaste! It’s stronger – stronger than the tea itself and takes a minute or two to set off. The aftertaste is a vibrant apricot skin floral that sticks all over the mouth – Fantastic! Wow! Very delicious!
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth Infusion: Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er sips in sweeter with a brief stone fruit note, followed with more of its amber, hard wood and clay mineral notes. I’m finding the tea is starting to mellow out in flavor and become more amber sweet with each steeping. The creamyness and aftertaste is still present.
Tenth, Eleventh Infusion: The colour of the tea has reduced to a pale peach skin tone.
The tea is light and mellow with a vanilla, wet stones and slight woody flavor. A 1/10 astringency has arrived. Sadly, the aftertaste is gone.
Comments
Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er is a fantastic, light pu’er. I enjoyed this more than their Sweet Fragrance Pu’er. The creamy texture and various sweet notes add some great complexity with some interesting earthy wood notes. I found this tea very easy to drink – however it is best to take your time to drink Ethical Agriculture’s Wild Grown Pu’er so that you can enjoy the apricot aftertaste.
Bonus
Squid is rubbing the yixing pot, hoping for a tea genie to appear!
(tea provided for review)
