We got some beautiful but cold days here in Belgium, which ask for really warming tea sessions. I still have samples Yee On Tea sent me so I picked the 2007 Red Label Puerh for today’s session. I went outside because I could not resist. It was really cold and the mist was forming, but this seemed like the perfect setting for this tea.
2007 Red Label Puerh
The Red Mark is one of the most famous puerh cakes and is known all over the world. The original one is from the 1950s and is really expensive. That is why some companies produce tribute cakes to try and reproduce the original one as best as they can.
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This particular Red Label tribute tea is from 2007 and is part of Yee On Tea’s ‘Tea For Connoisseurs’ series. This is a series of puerh tea cakes from different regions and is mostly single-estate tea. The goal is to offer great teas at affordable prices. After processing, these teas are stored in their professional Hong Kong warehouse.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 6g for 140ml Qing dynasty Neiziwaihong teapot
The leaves of this 2007 Red Label Puerh have a dark brown colour and I mostly see smaller leaves and some stems. The compression is very tight, which makes sense because it’s an iron discuss cake. The aroma is sweet and earthy. I’m also getting notes of incense, sweet berries and a bit of camphor.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): this one is fairly subtle but the sweetness is coming through already. There are also some hints of berries, especially in the aftertaste. The infusion itself has prominent notes of incense and the sweetness has some traces of camphor that is really thirst-quenching.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): this one has more prominent flavours. I feel the incense has increased quite a bit in combination with a fruitiness. This is a pleasant combination that works amazingly well. The aftertaste is sweet with notes of camphor and even some very subtle hints of smoke.
Infusion 3 (25 sec): the colour is getting darker and darker and the texture of the brew looks oily. I’m getting strong notes of incense in combination with a very sweet earthiness. This goes on into the finish and the aftertaste is long-lasting and intense. I have to say that the body was not as thick as I thought it would be.
Infusion 4 (30 sec): no big changes and the camphor sweetness is satisfying and delicious. It’s a weird sensation I have not experienced that much before. The incense has become a bit less intense and it’s shifting more towards fruity notes. It’s almost like strawberry flavoured tobacco. The aftertaste has a hint of smoke to it.
Infusion 5 (40 sec): I feel there is great consistency between brews as there are only slight and subtle changes each infusion. This one feels more creamy. The sweetness has shifted a bit and moved towards strawberry tobacco flavours. Smoke is still noticeable in the aftertaste, but only slightly.
Infusion 6 (50 sec): the liquor is still really dark and the leaves are still going strong. The initial impression is fresher and it feels it has more top notes. The sweetness has less camphor to it and shifted towards more fruity notes. A touch of incense is still noticeable throughout the infusion and in the aftertaste.
I did additional infusions without taking notes because I felt there were no big changes. One thing is certain: don’t drink this one when you’re in a hurry as this one really goes the distance.
Conclusion
The 2007 Red Label Puerh is such a fantastic tea. One can only dream of trying one of the original Red Mark cakes, so this is a really good alternative.
The sweetness was so satisfying and thirst-quenching. I have not experienced this sensation that much before. It’s very difficult to describe because it was many things all at once. It had camphor notes while being fruity with a strong incense undertone.
If you want to try this one for yourself, click here.
