Back in 2017, I purchased and reviewed the 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou Puer off Yunnan Sourcing. The description of this tea sucked me in promising a fruity peachy shou flavor experience. However, when I drank it in 2017 is was thin and funky, giving me stomach cramps. I’ve been in a shou mood recently, so I dug out this fruity shou from the back of my shou pumidor to give it a try.
As I said above, I’ve had the 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou since 2017. My shous are kept in an unplugged fridge with natural, but slightly cold, Pacific Northwest conditions.
Leaf and Steeping Method
2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou’s leaf smells like peat moss potting soil.
I went very heavy on my steeping ratio last time but for this session, I went 1 gram of leaf per 14ml of vessel size. The hot leaf is a dirty fruity scent like I had planted some blueberries in it.
Revisit of 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou from Yunnan Sourcing
First, Second, and Third Infusion: The first change I noticed is how immediately clear the tea is vs back in 2017.
This shou sips in like drinking leather and lightly peat with a fruity fig aftertaste. Some sips have a frankincense and myrrh incense note to them. The texture sips lightly silky and pleasing to drink.
Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Infusion: I am finally noticing a strong sweet aftertaste of figs and dried apricots in this tea. The main flavor is strong oiled leather with sharp frankincense and myrrh.
2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou is like drinking in leather riding gear, lighting incense, while chewing on dried fruit – a strange combination of events.
Seventh and Eighth Infusion: 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou is starting to lighten here drastically despite extended infusions. The fruity shou is now tasting like watered peat and fleeting dried fig, with a rock sugar aftertaste.
Comments
After a couple of years, 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou completely lost its youth of cloudy funk and sour tastes. The texture sounded like it thickened up a little to a silkiness and it isn’t as thin. With time, the flavor got heavier on leather and dried fruits, making for a sweet aftertaste. However, if you see above this shou is pretty heavy on sticks, so those don’t add much to the taste.
The price jump on a cake of 2016 Menghai Golden Fruit Shou is rough. I paid $24 and it is now $38 on Yunnan Sourcing. It is still an interesting fruity shou but for $38 I can think of more engaging and higher quality shous. Other vendors may have this cake cheaper.
If you like these Rehoot Reviews or curious about a previously reviewed tea’s progression, let me know!
