Organic Pu-Erh (ZH26)
New reviews will not be added here. RateTea, a site for rating/reviewing teas and learning about tea has been launched!
From Upton Tea
This is an organic Pu-erh, marketed as a "classic" example of the style. The dry leaves have a strong but light aroma that I actually find somewhat unpleasant.
Brewed, I'm not sure I'd call this typical for a pu-erh. It is rich in aroma and flavor, but is a little less earthy and has a lighter aroma that is still quite strong. The aftertaste is more like what I expect from a pu-erh. There is little bitterness but there's also a little bit of tanginess, again, acharacteristic of this style.
Seems much more heavily caffeinated than a typical pu-erh.
I found the brewing instructions to be fine: a teaspoon of dry leaves per cup, boiling water, 6-7 minutes. You can get away with using less leaves than recommended.
Bottom line? An interesting change of pace from typical Pu-erh. Considerably pricier, but Pu-erh tends to offer good value, as few leaves are needed.