I’m still making progress in tasting all the different Liu Bao teas from Lao Tea Shop I ordered a while back. I tried another one of the teas that I got, but this one was included as a free sample. On today’s menu is the 2005 Zhong Cha Duoteli Grade 3 Liu Bao.
2005 Zhong Cha Duoteli Grade 3 Liu Bao
When placing an order several weeks ago, I wanted to include this tea as well, but changed my mind because I thought ‘grade 3’ referred to the fact that the leaves were lower grade. It’s good that I got it as a free sample because I read the description before tasting and discovered that this refers to the size of the leaves.
In essence, it means that bigger leaves were used to make this tea. The leaves are a mix of material from 2002 and 2003 and were packed in 2005. After they were packed, they were stored in large 50kg baskets. In 2009, the baskets were transported to Malaysia to age further.
It comes from Guangxi province and was produced by CNNP Wuzhou under the Duoteli brand.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 6.2g for a 140ml Duanni teapot
It’s a relatively loosely compressed chunk. It has a uniform dark brown colour. I see medium-sized leaves and some stems. The aroma is subtle betel nut.
Infusion 1 (20 sec): the colour is really light; it’s a light copper and the chunk has not really opened in the teapot. Although the colour is light, the texture feels thick. There are some very faint notes of betel nut somewhere in the distance and also some hints of minerality.
Infusion 2 (25 sec): this one is also rather subtle and there is some betel nut beneath the surface. These flavours also pop up in the aftertaste. The flavours during the aftertaste are more intense than the infusion itself.
Infusion 3 (30 sec): the chunk has fully opened and the colour is darker. It’s a deep bordeaux-ish brown. The flavours are really coming through now. It’s fresh at the start with a betel nut undertone. Once the freshness fades, it’s betel nut all the way. The finish and aftertaste are fantastic! It’s pleasant and long-lasting.
Infusion 4 (35 sec): it has a betel nut flavour profile with a creamy touch. The aftertaste is still going strong! I’m also getting some light berries.
Infusion 5 (45 sec): no big changes in this one, although the flavours have become a bit less noticeable. The body still feels oily.
Infusion 6 (long): the colour is fairly dark and it has a nice texture. It’s more intense than infusion 5. There are also some spices beneath the surface.
Infusion 7 (long): it sure looks oily! Some notes of betel nut at the start and this slowly fades. There is a certain creaminess in the aftertaste, but this one doesn’t stay around for long. I feel that this infusion is the most well-balanced of all the infusions so far. It has the right amount of freshness, betel nut and creaminess in the aftertaste.
Infusion 8 (long): a. bit more subtle than infusion 7, but more than decent for an 8th infusion.
Conclusion
This was another good tea session. It took a while for the chunk to open, but it gradually increased in flavour.
I mostly experienced betel nut with some berries and spices. Towards the end, I got betel nut with a creaminess in the aftertaste.
The 2005 Zhong Cha Duoteli Grade 3 Liu bao is a solid tea that is definitely worth its price (5.2 EUR for 25g). It’s not exceptional, but sometimes you just need a good solid tea you can trust that goes the distance. This one is it!
Interested in trying this one? You can buy it over here.