The weather has definitely changed and autumn is around the corner. That is why I thought it was the right moment to drink the 2010 Zhong Cha Duoteli 034006 from Lao Tea Shop. I’ve already tasted most of the other Liu Bao teas I ordered, but now I want to start writing about my experiences with those teas.
2010 Zhong Cha Duoteli 034006
The 2010 Zhong Cha Duoteli 034006 is a Liu Bao tea from Guangxi province in China. The material is from 2007-2008 and it was packed into big baskets in 2010. Then it was stored in Malaysia for nine years and in 2019, it was repacked and bought by Lao Tea Shop. It was made by Wuzhou tea factory and released under the Duoteli brand. The ‘034006’ in the name refers to the basket in which these particular leaves were stored.
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Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 6g for a 140ml Duanni teapot
The leaves have a dark brown colour; perfect to drink in autumn. I see relatively small leaves and the occasional stem. The aroma is not that intense as I got some betel nut and a touch of dry wood.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): the colour is similar to dark hong cha. It’s a subtle infusion, but I’m already getting some betelnut and even some camphor. For such a soft infusion, the aftertaste is really good. It’s more prominent than the infusion itself. The aftertaste is camphor, spices and some dry wood.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the colour is a bit darker now, but still fairly light compared to other Liu bao teas I’ve had. It’s still subtle. I’m getting a camphor undertone and there is also a light creaminess forming that carries on into the finish and aftertaste. The flavours are good but subtle.
Infusion 3 (25 sec): the energy is starting to show because I’m feeling energised while being super calm, if that makes sense. It’s a weird feeling and I think this is because of the tea. It’s almost as if every atom in my body is vibrating. The flavours are really light: camphor, spices and a tiny bit of dry wood. The aftertaste is less intense than the previous infusions and the liquor seems oily!
Infusion 4 (30 sec): still oily and thick. The spices are more at the surface and the camphor is deeper in there somewhere. The camphor is also noticeable in the finish and stays for a short while in the aftertaste. First, I got spices followed by slight notes of camphor. Towards the end, spices pop up again.
Infusion 5 (40 sec): the energy is still going strong, but the flavours remain subtle. I’m not getting much during the infusion, only some light camphor. The aftertaste is what makes this infusion so good. It’s camphor and a slight hint of spices. It’s almost like a cabinet full of spices. The aftertaste is good, but it’s not around for long.
Infusion 6 (long): I’m really surprised the colour hasn’t become lighter. It’s good that this was a long infusion to get everything out of the leaves. I’m getting camphor at the start, but it quickly disappears. 20-30 sec after swallowing, I’m getting a spike of camphor in the aftertaste.
Conclusion
The 2010 Zhong Cha Duoteli 034006 was a subtle tea with very strong energy, but the flavours were not that intense. It went from camphor to spices and dry wood. The aftertaste was really good and even a bit creamy in the early infusions. The energy of this tea was on another level! It felt as if every atom in my body was vibrating. Good session and decent tea, especially for its price. The flavours were not that impressive, but the combination of everything worked well.
Interested in buying the 2010 Zhong Cha Duoteli 034006? You can do so over here.
