For me this has a very tame woodsy flavor with some light pleasant bitterness. There is a palpable fruit sweetness as well as a flavor that for me evoked melon. Definitely a smooth texture that leaves my mouth pretty clean and with just a hint of that cooling feeling. I'm still not super experienced with ripes so perhaps this is not the most compl
...Read MoreRead more about For me this has a very tame woodsyex of teas but I find it wonderfully pleasant and drinkable.
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Now to ramble a sec, for the shu-curious out there. I bought this in 2020 when I was just getting into tea. At that point all the shu puerh I'd had were pressed into those little bowls and super fishy. I really wanted to understand what the hype was about so I bought an affordable cake on a whim. I tried this tea and was not a fan. It wasn't fishy but what I could taste was funkiness, bitterness and earthiness that I was not ready for. I put it away and mostly forgot about it. Every now and then I'd try it another taste, while I started to get a little more accustomed to the strong flavors I still wasn't enjoying it. I couldn't taste any of the nuance that people talked about in their reviews. Jump to maybe a month ago I had a session with it and was totally surprised! Suddenly, it was sweet, woodsy, full of flavor that I couldn't taste before and evolving throughout my session. Totally different from that first experience.
I believe that age has shaped the flavor and softened some of the harshness I had tasted at first but also I changed between now and then. I've drank a whole lot more tea, I've been exposed to many more flavors and experiences. I feel like this tea and I met each other in the middle and it is such a special experience to have as a tea drinker. Even if this is not the greatest shu I will ever drink it will always be a memorable one. I've since purchased many more shu samples and have really begun to explore the field.
Long story short if you are just dipping your toes in, give those flavors a chance. If you have the money and some time, get some samples, buy an affordable cake. You might find yourself liking it one day. Read LessRead less about For me this has a very tame woodsy