10 years of drinking puer and I never officially tonged, until this one tea. I’ve always enjoyed drinking something new. There are always new boutique blends coming. Each year and season is a new flavor. I also have no delusions that my puer cakes are reselling investments.
But the day came – I tonged 2022 Body & Soul from Bitterleaf Teas. I just love Bitterleaf Tea’s Body & Soul blend, it is a shou and black tea blend. The 2020 Body & Soul I drank the sample and wish I got more. I have almost guzzled a whole 2021 cake down and I’ve been pacing myself. There is something about this tea that satisfies me every morning I can have both a shou and a black tea. When I drink down a tea before the next release, or the fact it sells out so I cannot get more, it is time to tong – and I blind tonged without trying the 2022 blend. But, I bought it during a sale and it was in my price range I could take it as tuition and not be upset. As predicted, 2022 Body & Soul sold out.
How is 2022 Body & Soul?
Tasting of Bitterleaf Teas’ Body & Soul Black and Shou Puer
The dry leaves have a cherry wood scent. After a rinse, it has a more cherry scent, like sun moon lake black tea.
Early infusions of Body & Soul are sweet, fruity, cherry wood, with the end of the sip going smooth creamy earthy shou. The main flavor is black tea with a potent aroma to back it up. All with a buttery texture.
As it steeps on, the black tea gets tannic and woody, and the shou takes over, going more earthy and creamy.
The final infusions are creamy minerals with a fruity aroma. It never got bitter, but the tannic parts added some astringency. I get around seven infusions or so.
Comments
The tong gamble paid off. 2022 Body & Soul is easy to drink, smooth, fruity, and aromatic. It indeed scratches my itch of indecision of whether I want hongcha or shou in the morning. Sometimes I want shou, but I want the caffeine of black tea too.
Between the different years, I still hold 2020 as the best – I swear it had more shou flavor. But it has been years, and I can’t directly compare the teas, so that could just be a fond memory. 2021 Body & Soul I do still have a bit left and that blend has some smokey bitterness from the black tea, whereas 2022 is more fruity and fragrant. I love my aromatic teas, so I greatly prefer 2022 over 2021.
I’ve had this tong for over 6 months and already plowed through most of the first cake.
