A tea that I have been enjoying every time I drink it is the 2021 Xin An Chu Commemorative Sheng Puerh. I got it several months ago as a sample and it’s one of the best young sheng puerh teas I had in the last couple of months. Strangely enough, I hadn’t written an article about it so that’s what I decided to do today.
2021 Xin An Chu Commemorative Sheng Puerh
It’s a sheng puerh tea from 2021 from the Da Xue Shan region. Liu from Xin An Chu released it last year as a celebration of the launch of their online shop. Da Xue Shan is one of my favorite tea regions so I’m a big fan of teas like this one, especially when there’s a story to it.
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
The leaves in this cake were picked in March 2021 and come from a small town close to Da Xue Shan in Lincang. The cakes were pressed on April 3rd, 2021. I don’t have much more information, except that the tea trees are at least 100 years old.
Tea tasting
- 5g for a 100ml porcelain gaiwan
- 99°C-90°C water
The leaves range from medium-sized to large and have olive green and beige tints. I also see several hairy buds. The compression is fairly loose so the leaves are easy to pick apart.
The aroma of the dry leaves is really fruity with a hint of dry wood. Smelling the leaves feels like walking in a meadow on a sunny spring morning. The wet leaves have strong hints of elderflowers and a certain sweetness.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): the liquor has a really light beige color but I immediately feel it comes from the Da Xue Shan area. It feels delicate and powerful at the same time. Overall, it’s a subtle infusion but it already has an excellent and long-lasting aftertaste.
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the liqour of this infusion almost looks like champagne (minus the bubbles). There is an explosion of sweetness once I take a sip. Elderflowers guide me through the infusion and it really feels as if I’m hiking in the mountains of Switzerland. It’s sweet with a refreshing twist that feels like a mountain breeze.
Infusion 3 (25 sec): more of the same flavors; sweet, subtle, and powerful simultaneously. The finish and aftertaste linger for a very long time and this tea clearly showcases why I love tea from the Da Xue Shan region.
Infusion 4 (35 sec): it’s good that I did a longer infusion because I wanted the full Da Xue Shan experience. It almost feels like a sweet and alcohol-free cocktail. So good!
Infusion 5 (45 sec): still no signs of any unwanted flavors and it just keeps on giving. I feel the sweetness is fading a bit, but it’s definitely performing above its price. This cake is great value for money if you ask me!
Infusion 6 (long): no big changes as it’s still sweet with a fruity twist.
Conclusion
This has to be one of the best young sheng puerh teas I had the pleasure to enjoy in the last 12 months. It has everything I’m looking for in young sheng: sweetness, fruitiness, and an intense and long-lasting aftertaste.
This tea costs €58.88 for a 200g teacake and it is definitely worth the money. It’s one of those teas that punch above their price and is something you need/want to have in your collection. The 2021 Xin An Chu Commemorative Sheng Puerh is available over here. Don’t forget to use “TEAADVENTURES” for an 8% discount!
Thank you, Liu, for sourcing this tea. Drinking this tea made me dream of spring. It made me forget we are only the second of January today…
