Due to the fact that all schools are closed in Belgium, I started my day with an extensive tea session. The birds are singing and the sun wants to break through the clouds so I went outside to enjoy a session in the fresh morning air. Liu Bao tea has recently caught my attention and I can’t seem to get enough of it. That’s why I had another session with this heicha. For my morning session, I brewed the 2015 Liubao Shu Cha from Moychay, which was kindly given to me.
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2015 Liubao Shu Cha
The 2015 Liubao Shu Cha is, as you might have guessed, a Liu bao tea from 2015. Liu Bao is a tea that belongs to the category of heicha. Heicha is black tea, or post-fermented/dark tea, as we call it in the West. The most famous example of heicha is puerh, but there are a lot of other teas that are not as famous. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t as good as puerh; they are different and unique in their own way. Liu Bao has recently caught my attention because of its particular flavours. It’s similar to shu puerh, but also quite different. All Liu Bao comes from Guangxi Province, while Puerh comes from Yunnan. There is a lot more to be said about Liu Bao tea because it has such a rich history, but that would take way too long so let’s get on with the brewing.
The colour of the dry leaves is a faded and darker brown. It’s mostly twisted leaves and a tiny amount of stalks. The aroma is woody, creamy and I’m also getting light herbaceous notes.
The aroma of the wet leaves is still woody, but there are also mineral notes and some light fruits. The colour is dark brown and I see fairly small leaves and only a few stalks here and there.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 4.2g for a 100ml Zisha teapot
- 1 rinse
- 6 infusions
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Infusion 1 (20 sec): the thing that immediately caught my attention was the liquor; it’s so thick and syrupy! I’m mainly getting a creamy sweetness with a woody undertone. The finish is slightly herbaceous and the aftertaste is creamy. This one got me excited for what’s coming next.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the liquor looks even thicker during this one. I’m experiencing a really subtle bitterness and also some minerality. The herbal notes from the previous infusion are also present throughout the infusion. The aftertaste is both sweet and creamy.
Infusion 3 (30 sec): no woody notes anymore and the herbal notes are increasing. The aftertaste is still a bit sweet and really creamy.
Infusion 4 (40 sec): the undertone of this one is creamy, but there are not much other flavours or sensations. It’s difficult to fully describe it because nothing stands out. The only distinguishable flavours I’m getting are herbal ones. Still enjoyable though.
Infusion 5 (50 sec): The flavours are still really subtle and it’s mostly herbal notes. I’m still feeling the creaminess from the earlier infusions. It is, however, not as sweet anymore and I’m also getting some sharper edges towards the end.
Infusion 6 (60 sec): most of the flavours have faded. Only some very light herbal notes at the start. These notes linger for a while after swallowing.
Conclusion
The early infusions of this tea were spot on. The flavours were rich, creamy and even a bit sweet. It’s definitely a different kind of sweetness than the one you have when drinking sheng puerh, but it’s also really enjoyable. I got some herbal notes in all infusions, although slightly different in each one. This tea is not the best of the best, but you can’t expect that at this price range. It is, however, an excellent daily drinker. The main selling point of this tea are the early infusions, which were thick and creamy.
Do you want to buy this excellent daily drinker? You can do so over here.
Moychay also has a Youtube Channel with useful information and English voice-over.
