Snow has arrived in Belgium so I needed a tea that makes me think of summer. I was really impressed by Vin-Satori‘s 2009 Hou You 9026 Sheng I drank about a week ago so I wanted to try another sample they sent me. Elie told me that the 2007 Lan Ting Chun Yo Ji Cha is similar and that I would like it as well. So this is the tea I picked for today’s session.
2007 Lan Ting Chun Yo Ji Cha
The 2007 Lan Ting Chun Yo Ji Cha is a slightly matured sheng puerh tea from 2007. The material in this one comes from Yong De in Lincang. I haven’t had that much sheng puerh from this area before, so it looks like an interesting session already.
Don’t know where to buy tea online? I made a list of over 300 online tea shops and I keep updating it regularly. You can check it over here.
Lan Ting Chun is a producer of puerh tea that is largely unknown in the West, at least I had never heard of it. He has produced many different teas and some of them are quite remarkable. This 2007 Yo Ji Cha comes from his own organic tea garden. The trees are planted in a similar fashion to tea trees in ancient tea gardens. Unfortunately, the production of this particular tea stopped in 2012 because it became too expensive to keep the organic certification.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 6g for a 140ml Neiziwaihong Qing dynasty teapot
The leaves are dark brown with a dark olive green hue and I also see some dark beige buds. There is a wide variety of colours. The aroma has strong notes of spices with a fruity twist. After getting wet, it’s more fruity and I’m also getting hints of honey.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): it’s both gentle and full of flavour. It starts out with notes of honey and a spicy and fruity undertone. The finish is really fruity. Amazing infusion to start the session.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the colour of this one is dark orange and it looks really oily. There is still some honey at the start but it’s more subtle. I’m also getting a hint of smoke. Once the initial honey fades, I’m getting hints of prunes. It really feels like drinking a cup of summer. The aftertaste is fruity.
Infusion 3 (25 sec): this one is super fruity right from the start. It starts out with flavours of prunes and slowly changes into more citrus fruits. The texture still feels thick and the finish feels a tiny bit astringent. The aftertaste is fruity again.
Infusion 4 (30 sec): this infusion really reminds of one of those early summer days. I’m thinking of the first day of summer when the weather is good and you feel summer has really started. Drinking this tea is exactly that feeling. There is a tiny bit of honey but I’m getting more fruity notes. The astringency is gone and it has a spicy mouthfeel that makes my mouth tingle a bit. The aftertaste is more subtle and lingers for a while.
Infusion 5 (35 sec): more of the same fruitiness and it feels light but still thick and oily. The fruity sweetness is not as deep and warming, but it feels lighter and more delicate. The other infusions felt like summer and this one is more like spring; full of energy with a gentle and fruity sweetness.
Infusion 6 (45 sec): the flavours feel silky and delicate. It’s less fruity and there is a spiciness forming. When I take a sip, I experience sweet apricots but only for a very short while. It’s immediately replaced by spices. The apricots reappear in the aftertaste.
Infusion 7 (long): this one is a bit less intense and it has changed a bit. The fruitiness has more citrus to it and I’m really getting juicy oranges.
Conclusion
The 2007 Lan Ting Chun Yo Ji Cha is similar to the 2009 Hou You 9026, but also completely different. Towards the end, it changed from feeling like summer to a freshness and vibrancy typical for warm days in spring.
It’s a sweet and fruity tea with flavours of honey, prunes and apricots. There was also a lingering spiciness that popped up in the final few infusions. Another great tea by Vin-Satori!
If you’re interested in trying this tea, you can buy it over here.
