After buying quite a few samples of Liu Bao, my tea friends from Lao Tea Shop were kind enough to send me a couple of puerh samples to try and write about. For today’s session, I picked the 2007 Changtai Cha Hu Chen Nannuo Raw Puerh.
2007 Changtai Cha Hu Chen Nannuo Raw Puerh
The material in this cake comes from the area around Nannuo mountain and was harvested in autumn 2006 and spring 2007. The picking is supposed to be very fine as only buds and two leaves were picked.
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Something that is worth noting is that the storage of this tea has been really clean. Hopefully, this translates in pure and delicate flavours and a nice experience overall.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 7g for a 140ml Neiziwaihong Qing dynasty teapot
The leaves have a uniform dark brown colour. I see medium-sized leaves and some stems as well. It was a chunk of a cake, but it was quite easy to pick it apart. The aroma consists of deep, dark and damp wood with a hint of sweet and sour berries.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): this one has a dark copper colour. For a first infusion, there are a lot of flavours already, but they are mostly at the surface. There is something sweet going on as well in combination with something creamy.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the initial impression is that the flavours will be too bitter and way too intense, but the leaves are doing a good job to keep everything in check. It’s slightly fruity and nothing is really sticking out. There is a subtle bitterness, but everything is balanced nicely. The aftertaste has some elements of juicy apples to it.
Infusion 3 (35 sec): the bitter edge has disappeared and I feel that the fruity notes are more noticeable now. They are definitely not in your face, but you feel they are there. It’s like a slightly sour kind of fruit; like green apples.
Infusion 4 (30 sec): such a good infusion! It’s still a bit fruity with a sour edge. The liquor feels quite thick as well. This is an infusion that flows really well.
Infusion 5 (40 sec): this one is even better. Sweet and fruity without any sharp or bitter notes. It surely feels delicate.
Infusion 6 (long): the liquor still looks and feels thick. The sweetness has disappeared and a light fruitiness with a sour twist glides through the infusion. This is another good infusion because the bitterness has diminished as well.
Infusion 7 (long): more of the same pleasant flavours. Now I’m really starting to feel the energy of these leaves. Flavour-wise, there are still fruity notes present but it’s becoming slightly astringent.
Infusion 8 (long): the flavours are fading a bit, but it’s still a good infusion. There is a subtle fruitiness and a really strong energy. I was really sweating during this infusion. It felt as if every atom in my body was vibrating.
Conclusion
This was a good tea session. After the initial impression, I was afraid it would be too bitter and unbalanced, but this was not the case.
Overall, this was a fruity session with some sweetness in between. Once the initial bitterness disappeared, it really took off. It became delicate and fruity with a sour twist.
I might have taken a bit too much tea for this teapot, but otherwise, I would have 1g left… So I just threw all of it in my teapot. This might be the reason I got a bit of a punch at the start of the session.
If you are interested in buying this tea, click here.
