Cultivar: Gushu (old arbor) Puerh buds and small leaves

Harvested: Spring season, early 2000s

Origin: Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

Process: raw, sun dried, aged in loose shape.

The 3 testing pictures show 2 gr of dry leaves and the 6 minute brew in a white porcelain competition set. The goal of this brew isn't to get the best brew, but to ascertain the quality of the leaves through an extreme brew.

1. View

The dry loose leaves contain a high quantity of orange buds and small leaves, the most valuable kind of leaves. The colors are not similar, because it's sheng, raw puerh and each type of leaf ages differently depending on its moisture content. This is confirmed by the brew and the amazingly clear and shiny red color. The open leaves unfold fully.

2. Scents

The dry loose leaves have light, clean earthy and woody scents. The brew contains scents of incense, jasmine flowers, aged wood and menthol.

3. Taste

Powerful chaqi, some bitterness that adds to the long aftertaste, but mellows down after a while. Very pure. And able to produce a high number of delicious brews!

Conclusion: This loose sheng gushu puerh made of buds has aged very well. The quality of the leaves is outstanding, as is the clean storage taste. It's so powerfull and harmonious at the same time that very few leaves are enough for a great tea session.