Hello hello! This past month, Crimson Lotus Tea introduced me to a new tea company called Soyuz Chai. This tea company is based out of Russia, and at the moment, all they carry is black tea… As many of you may know, black tea isn’t my first choice for drinking tea and is something I recently just got into liking. So when they sent me their line-up, I was hesitant to see that it was only black tea. However, since I’m trying to get more into hong, I figured it would be best to be open minded and try it anyways. After trying and enjoying their sample of their ‘Navy’ and ‘Army’ black tea, how does ‘Air Force’ hold up? After all, it’s the most expensive tea on their site. Let’s dive in! Dimensions — 5.3g of tea for an 80ml shibo Water Temp. — 190ºf Number of Steeps — 12 Price — $17.58 USD for a 150g brick Steeps 1 - 6 For this session, I broke-off a square section of the brick — which measured to 5.3g. For the first infusion, the faint tasting notes of caramel flew their way in, which trailed a creme-like hint on the sides of the tongue. After a few more infusions, the notes of creme and caramel became more prominent in the mouth and left an echo of flavor in the mouth for a small period of time. After the fourth infusion, a new profile of bell pepper and hay crept forward with the base of freshly-cut wood. By the sixth infusion, there was a light astringency that orbited the tip of the tongue and the insides of the cheeks. Steeps 7 - 12 By the seventh infusion, Air Force was carrying a strong jet-propelling punch in the mouth as the notes of creamy wood ejected a mild bitterness on the base of the tongue. After two more steeps, an Unidentified Flavor Object (UFO) of creme jetted back into my pallet, which mixed beautifully with the woodsy notes of hay. Despite this tea’s strength, the ninth infusion proved that this tea’s notes were ready to make its way to a landing pad. By the twelfth infusion, this Air Force’s satellite was ready to come to a full stop and fall safely back to Earth. Conclusion Air Force is a 150g tea brick which was the top-tier black tea in Soyuz Chai’s Russian 1950's militia-style line-up. After their debut, I was intrigued to see what this tea company was about. Air Force started out faint and sweet, and as the session progressed, it became more powerful with the taste of lumber. One thing I liked about this tea was how bud-heavy it was. This is a great aspect because it contributed to a good balance with this tea’s aggressiveness. Another aspect I liked about this tea was its ability to still have flexibility with the water temperature used to brew it. Overall, Air Force is a new favorite on my (very) short list of favorite black teas. However, one thing I’m excited for is to see what Soyuz Chai comes up with next. After being in the tea community for a period of time, you start to notice that a lot of people get into tea and seem to fall out of it. There’s a lot of companies that try and without the right amount of passion, seem to fail and move on. Soyuz Chai is transparent through their posts on social media and communication through messaging that they’re passionate about what they’re doing, and this is one tea company that, if chosen to continue this path, will end up being very successful…

Hello hello! I’m back! I apologize for the delay in updating this blog Life has been hectic and it got to a point where drinking tea wasn’t an option. This was largely due to the fact that I moved across several states. Now that I’ve been settled, now seems like a more than perfect time to dive into some Fu Ding Shou Mei White Tea from Path of Cha! This tea has been aged since 2012, and yet eight years later, here we are. Does an aged white tea really taste as good as aged puer? Let's find out! Dimensions — 4.7g for a 70ml Shibo Water Temp — Boil Number of Steeps— 14 Steeps 1 — 6 Usually, with aged teas, some people recommend doing a rinse of the leaves to rid of dirt or dust. However, I dove right in! Upon the first infusion, there was a faint sweetness along with a light amber color. After a few more infusions, this tea opened up to a woodsy note that left a sweet-like finish on the back of the tongue. At the fifth infusion, the tasting notes of a rum-barrel came through along with a brown sugar-like sweetness. Despite the sweetness, the sixth infusion brought a strong punch that almost left a bitter impression on the sides of the tongue. Steeps 7 — 14 This tea was in full swing as the infusions kept making this tea stronger and stronger. To help balance out the strength, I repeated an infusion. Even at that, the powerful punch this white tea possessed was enough to surprise me. Around the tenth infusion, this aged white tea started to let up as the brown sugar notes because more and more noticeable. However, despite this teas earlier strength, the tea session was ready to come to an end at the fourteenth infusion… Conclusion 2012 Fu Ding Shou Mei White Tea is a tea that came from Path of Cha. This tea started out light, and after a few infusions, became stronger and stronger. One thing I liked about this tea was the fact that it was very clean and crisp. Another aspect I liked about this tea was it’s the ability to last more than ten infusions. Along with the lasting infusions, this aged white tea had a unique sweetness that was very pleasing to the tongue. However, Path of Cha no longer carries this tea as of now. Despite being gone for around six months, I’m more than happy to be back. I’m glad to be back and re-pick up this journey with an aged white tea, especially from Path of Cha. For now, I’ll be sitting on the porch and taking tea photos in the cold, and remind myself that at the end of the day, aged white tea is just as good as an aged puer…

Hello hello! Earlier in the year, Glen of Crimson Lotus Tea and I began talking about different tea regions, and what would happen when blending different tea material. After a few messages back and forth, Glen came up with a blend idea that he would later press into a cake. After talking to a tea friend (Steph — @evilducky77 on instagram) about creating a wrapper design based on several different ideas, and after a few messages back and forth, she created the wrapper for 2018 Honeymoon Sheng Puer — a sheng puer that’s made of Manzuhan based material which uses old tea tree material. So after all of the communication between Glen, Steph, and I, how did Honeymoon turn out? Let’s find out! Demensions — 4.7g of tea for a 70ml vessel Beeng Price — $94.99 Water Temperature — 190ºf Number of Steeps — 14 Steeps 1 - 6 Honeymoon first opened up to the light grassy tasting notes of wood, which left a faint impression of oil on the tongue. After another infusion, a sweet fruity undertone of moss made itself known on the back of the tongue. By the fourth infusion, Honeymoon continued to thicken. However, by the sixth infusion, this tea was a full on broth. Steeps 7 - 14 By the seventh infusion, Honeymoon’s tasting notes reminded me of a thick wooded forest. Its texture was broth-like, and after another infusion, it didn’t let up. This tea’s tasting notes seemed to transform from a grass-like tasting note into a hay-like tasting note, which left behind the sweet notes of moss, wood, and an autumn leaf pile. However, despite the heavy and thick tasting notes of moss, there was still a light undertone of sweet fruit that still tried to come though this tea. However, by the tenth infusion, this tea began to lighten up on its thick texture. By the fourteenth infusion, Honeymoon was finished and was ready to be put away… Conclusion Honeymoon was a collaborative project between Glen of Crimson Lotus Tea and I, which began with the two of us talking about different blends of tea regions. Honeymoon is a 2018 sheng puer that is a Manzuhan based blend, and is a tea that also contains old tea tree material. One thing I liked about Honeymoon was its energy, because after having a session with this tea, I felt very relaxed and mildly sedated. Another aspect about this tea that I like is its tasting notes that continually changed throughout the session. However, despite that this tea sits at a higher price tag, it certainly reflects the qualities of a tea that’s higher end. In conclusion, Honeymoon is a great experience to have regardless if you’re a new tea drinker or not. Despite that it was a collaboration that involved me, I’m very surprised at how the final product turned out — which really points to how talented Glen is of Crimson Lotus Tea. So next time you have dreams of sitting on the beach with no where to be, spend time on yourself and give yourself a little honeymoon….

Hello hello! Around a month ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Scott and his wife of Yunnan Sourcing! Besides drinking a lot of tea together, we filmed two youtube videos as well! One of those videos was of Scott and I drinking a 2013 Shou Mei white tea. This white tea is a tea that has been aged for over five years, and is a tea that will be released in a 100g beeng for around $10.00 USD. Since the tea has yet to be released (as I only have a small sample that was gifted to me rom Scott), what can we expect whenever it is released? Here’s all you need to know! Dimensions - 4.7g of tea for a 70ml vessel Beeng Price - 100g for around $10.00 (estimated) Water Temperature - boil Number of Steeps - 12 Steeps 1 - 6 Right off the bat, this 2013 Shou Mei gave off light tasting notes of sweet sugarcane and honey. After another few steeps, the tasting notes became more and more woodsy. With the caramel-like sweetness, it heavily resembled a rum barrel. By the fifth and sixth infusion, this tea’s texture thickened like a beef broth, and started to heavily resemble a roasted GABA oolong. Steeps 7 - 12 By the middle of the session, this tea began to lose its gentle sweetness as its texture became thicker and woodsier. It still lightly resembled a rum barrel, but still left a broth like texture in the back of the throat. However, towards the end of the session, I started to feel a head-rush of energy that came from this tea. This head-rush made me feel a bit tea drunk, as its energy made me break out in a sweat. However, by the twelfth infusion, this tea was finished and it was time to be put away… Conclusion Yunnan Sourcing is about to release a 2013 Shou Mei white tea, and while the tea is not out yet, Scott and I were able to film a youtube video of us drinking it together! First off, one thing I liked about this tea was its wide array of tasting notes. The tasting notes of a rum barrel pleasantly surprised me, and it also held a sweetness the came from within the rum barrel tasting notes. Another aspect about this tea that I like is the fact that it’s affordable. Although it’s not out yet, Scott did speculate that this tea will be around $10.00 upon its release. However, despite that it’ll only be around $10.00, this was a very easy tea to drink and could potentially be a gate-way white tea to get others interested in aged whites. In conclusion, this tea is affordable and will certainly warrant a purchase from me. So while I had this tea originally with Scott of Yunnan Sourcing, when I had this tea again (for this review) I was reminded of the hospitality that I was shown when I paid my visit to Scott and his wife.… Below is the Youtube video I got to appear in with Scott!

Hello hello! Bitterleaf Teas released their 2018 productions earlier this year, but a few weeks after the big release, they released another tea called Outlier. Outlier is a 2018 spring tea that’s harvested in Myanmar, but since it’s not made in Yunnan, it has to be called heicha. This tea was only rolled into dragon balls and doesn't come in the form of a cake. However, this tea sounds interesting as I haven’t had too many puer style teas that are grown outside of Yunnan. So is this tea as unique as it looks? Does it taste like traditional puer? Lets find out! Demensions — 4.6g of tea for a 70ml shibo Dragon Ball Price —$ 3.25 USD per dragon ball Water Temperature — 190ºf Number of Steeps — 12 Steeps 1 - 6 Outlier first opened to the savory and faint medicinal tasting notes, which trailed behind a light aftertaste of sweet green grass. After a few more steeps, this teas body began to thicken up as its savory tasting notes quickly resembled a lightly tart chicken broth, while leaving a floral and lightly sweet nutty aftertaste echoing in the mouth. By the sixth infusion, this tea carried a punch as its body was full-on broth, which let out a soothing bitterness on the sides of the tongue. Steeps 7 - 12 Outlier continued to thicken up as its body resembled more and more of a chicken broth, while leaving tart dense nutty aftertaste of hay and flowers. However, around the eighth infusion, Outlier began to lighten up, and despite that it was still leaving a bitterness on the tongue, it brought back its sweetness which seems to linger in the sides of the cheeks. After a few more steeps of a broth like bitter sweetness, Outlier kept softening up and became lighter and lighter. By the twelfth infusion, this tea had given it its all and it was time to be put away… Conclusion Outlier is a 2018 spring tea from Bitterleaf Teas, and since it can only be called ‘puer’ if its grown in Yunnan, this tea has to be called a ‘heicha’ since it’s grown in Myanmar. Anyhow. Outlier first opened up to a soft body and it quickly thickened up. One thing I liked about this tea was how quickly it thickened up. Another thing I liked about this tea is its energy, because its qi was very meditative and relaxing. However, one drawback to this tea is the fact that it doesn't come in the form of a beeng. But despite that, dragon balls are a lot of fun and you can get a lot out of them. Overall, this tea is certainly different from what I’m used to and was certainly unique in its own way. This tea had a lot of characteristics of puer that’s from Yunnan, but certainly followed the beat of its own drum. So while Outlier is technically called heicha, this tea was a unique and fun experience and is one that I’ll be looking forward to having again in the near future…

Hello hello! It’s been a while since I’ve updated this segment on my site, and to be honest, I’ve missed it and I’m glad to be back. Speaking of being busy, I got to meet Scott Wilson and his wife of Yunnan Sourcing!! After months and months of trying to meet up (and missing each other), we finally got to collaborate on a few youtube videos for Yunnan Sourcing’s youtube channel! So keep your eyes peeled to see a guest appearance from me. Anyways, let’s move on to your questions! Q: Is competition grade ‘Tie Guan Yin’ oolong really the best oolongs as some say? - Hauke A: So first off, we need to define what ‘competition grade’ tea is. Basically, according to a tea shop owner, competition grade tea is a tea that’s produced for competition and is part of a batch, which requires a certain amount of kilos produced. There are also rules for which it is produced, so not any regular ole tea can be called ‘competition grade’. Anyhow, I’ve personally only had a small handful of competition grade Tie Guan Yin, and they were from Yunnan Sourcing (I even reviewed one here). Overall, it was one of the best oolongs that I’ve ever tried, but Im not sure that I can attest that to the fact it was a competition grade tea, or the fact the village it comes from just makes really good tea? I need to explore more into that category. ~~~ Q: Since puer needs time to acclimate [after shipping], does it matter for oolong? - Will A: So in my experience, you should certainly let puer acclimate to wherever you store your puer after shipping. Since puer tea easily absorbs odors, there’s a chance that it picked up something during shipping. Even if puer is shipped in a sealed bag, you’d probably want it to get accustomed to your climate since it’s used to being in Yunnan’s climate. Does that mean that I let puer settle in my pumidor every time I buy it? Nope — I’m usually too impatient and dive right in. Anyhow. In my experience, oolongs don't absorb odors like puer does. To add to that, oolongs are typically shipped in sealed bags (sometimes vacuums sealed), so there isn’t much of an opportunity for the flavor to change in shipping. If the oolong is green/unoxidized, then you’ll probably want to drink it right away so that you can taste its freshness. ~~~ Q: Which cultivars are grown for dancong production and which flavor differences do they imply? - Leonardo A: Dancong oolongs are from Guangdong. There are so many different areas in Guangdong and so many differs factors that play into the processing of dancong that there isn’t really a concrete answer to this question. Dancong can have a wide-array of oxidization levels that can also affect how it tastes. Further, the age and location of some tea trees will affect the tea’s end result taste (such as the age of the tea tree, the care of the tea tree, and especially if the tea tree came from a farm, as well as the elevation of the tea trees itself). ~~~ Q: Are there any good aged white teas available that wont break the bank? - Jerrod A: For those of you who don't already know, white tea can age in the same way that puer can! And just like puer, the older it gets, the pricier it usually is. Aging white tea seems to be a more and more popular trend than it used to be, and since it’s becoming more popular, the more expensive it’s going to get. As of now, White2Tea carries a small variety of aged white teas on their site. As of this year, they released two new ones and are planning on releasing a third one (based on White2Tea’s Instagram story). However, when I visited Scott and his wife of Yunnan Sourcing, we filmed a youtube video for an aged white tea that’s going to be posted very soon. I can’t really say much until it’s released, but it will be the most affordable aged white tea that I’ve come across, and to add, it’s really tasty. Hopefully with this new trend of aged white tea, more and more tea shops will be releasing their own versions of white tea as time goes on. In my opinion, this is one tea trend that I like and one tea trend that I want to see stick around for the long haul…. ~~~ If you have any questions that YOU want to see answered on the next segment of ‘Ask The Oolong Drunk’, you can drop me an email at contact@theoolongdrunk.com!

Hello hello! Earlier last month, I was fortunate enough to meet Yunnan Sourcing in the flesh! I got to hang out with Scott and his wife, along with another tea friend, and we brewed many teas. We even filmed a few youtube videos together as well! After spending a great afternoon drinking tea with Scott, he and his wife broke out a large chunk of 1992 Tibetan Kang Brick Tea and sent me home with a small sample! Today, I took it out of the sample bag and decided to dive right in. This brick is a Tibetan tea from 1992, and is considered hei cha (which means 'dark tea'). So what’s so special about this tea? Let’s find out! Dimensions — 6.5g of tea for a 100ml vessel Brick price — $80.00 for 450g Water Temperature — boil Number of steeps — 12 Steeps 1 - 6 Kang Brick opened up to the soft earthy tasting note of dirt, followed by an autumn leaf pile. After a few more infusions, the leaf pile tasting note turned into the tasting note of hot hay, which brought out a light sweetness that lingered on the sides of the tongue. By the fourth infusion, Kang Brick’s sweetness became stevia-like and became stronger and stronger. As well as the stevia-like sweetness, a light undertone of fruit punch made itself known which came out from under the earth and hay-like tasting notes. By the sixth infusion this tea was savory and mouthwatering. Steeps 7 - 12 As this tea got stronger, it turned gold in colour and developed a new tasting note of cotton/fabric. However, the sweet and noticeable tasting notes of stevia began to lighten up, as well as the fruity undertone. The earthy and hot hay tasting notes became mellower and softer, as this tea’s body continued to lighten up. As this tea’s body continued to lighten up, its tasting notes strongly resembled a shou puer. However, by the twelfth infusion, Kang Brick was showing signs of being too mellow and it was time to be put away… Conclusion 1992 Tibetan Kang Brick is a brick of hei cha, sold by Yunnan Sourcing, which appeared to be made with larger leaf material. One thing about this tea that I liked was its many different tasting notes, and for being an older tea, was surprisingly sweet. Another aspect about this tea that I liked was its ability to resemble shou puer. Despite that it reminded me of shou puer, and the fact it’s from 1992, I was surprised at how strong it became halfway through the session. Overall, my experience with Kang Brick was a positive one and is one I’ll be having again in the near future. Thanks to Scott for getting me hooked this tea, I’ll certainly be ordering more of it in the near future. So when I drink this tea in the future, I’ll reminisce about the time I had meeting the wonderful people of Yunnan Sourcing…

Hello hello! In 2016, Bitterleaf Teas released their first spring production and part of that production was 2016 Secret Garden — a tea sourced from right outside of Yiwu and made from an actual secret garden, and is a 2.5 hour hike into the forest to reach these 100 y/o tea trees. However, due to a price increase in material, Bitterleaf Teas sourced a Manzuhan region tea tree material for their 2017 version of Secret Garden. However, due to popular demand, they went back to the original secret garden for their 2018 version of this tea. Since I drank the entire 200g beeng of the original Secret Garden in just a few months, I knew I had to buy the new version of this tea. So how does it hold up to its original version? Is it really worth the near-double price increase? Lets find out! Dimensions - 4.6g for a 70ml vessel Beeng Price - $135.00 USD for a 200g beeng Water Temperature - 190ºf Number of Steeps - 12 Steeps 1 - 6 2018 Secret Garden first opened up to a light medicinal forefront with a faint sweetness in the back of the mouth. After another few steeps, the tasting notes of milk and cream made itself known as its soup was clean and clear. By the fourth infusion, this tea kept opening up as it held a light green-grass base that mixed with the medicinal forefront, which left a light lingering stevia-like humid sweetness in the throat. Steeps 7 - 12 2018 Secret Garden was in full swing, as its medicinal creamy body was hitting heavier than before. It’s green-grass tasting notes turned into tasting notes of hot hay, and left a very faint fruity aftertaste on the sides of the tongue. Although this tea was getting thicker, by the ninth infusion, it felt like it wanted to keep pushing a thicker mouthfeel forward, but still tasted relatively wet (from recent pressing) and couldn’t go forward. Despite that, it left a everlasting steamy sweet impression of sugar in the throat, and seemed to last for a lengthy period of time. However, by the twelfth infusion, this tea was starting to lose stamina and was time to put away. Conclusion 2018 Secret Garden is a new sheng puer released by Bitterleaf Teas, and is a come-back from their 2016 production of the same name. Right off the bat, when brewing this tea, I was reminded of the 2016 version due to its tasting notes. One thing I liked about this tea is how clean and clear the soup was. Another thing that I liked about this tea was its ever lasting throat sweetness which seemed to linger longer and longer as the infusions went on. However, despite that this tea has a lot of positive attributes, it came up a little thin and still showed evidence of being wet from recent picking and pressing. Overall, 2018 Secret Garden is still very fresh and could heavily benefit from resting for another few months before being consumed. You see, when it comes to teas that are on the more delicate side, they seem to be more affected by pressings and need to cool off for a while. However, despite it still being wet tasting, I still broke out in a hot sweat from this teas energy — which is something that I don't remember from the 2016 version. So while this tea is nearly double in price, is it worth the money? Well, since the 2016 version of this tea was one of the very first beengs that I ever bought (when I first started drinking tea), it brought up many memories of being a young tea drinker. So I must ask, can you really place a price on nostalgia? To me, it’s priceless….

Hello hello! First and foremost, I want to congratulate Nicole of Tea For Me Please for winning Tea Blogger of the Year at the 2018 World Tea Expo! Anyways, last month, Bitterleaf Teas released their new version of their 2017 ’In Bloom’ (which I reviewed here), called 2018 In Bloom! In Bloom is a sheng puer tea which is harvested from the Jingmai region of Yunnan. The 2017 version of this tea, as I recall, was woodsy and sweet. However, this year, Bitterleaf Teas released 2 versions of this tea — one sheng puer version and one huang pian version (larger leaf material). So how does this year’s In Bloom compare to last years? Lets find out! Demensions — 4.6g in a 70ml shibo Beeng Price — $60.00 for 200g Water Temperature — 190ºf Number of Steeps — 14 Steeps 1 - 6 Upon my first infusion of In Bloom, the wet leaf sitting in my shibo gave off a strong fruity aroma that seemed to leave a memorable presence. Anyhow — the first impressions of this tea left a medicinal and green grass forefront with an aftertaste of a orchard grove. After a few more infusions, a new sweet warm undertone of ripe plums quickly made itself known. By the way, when I say warm, I mean ‘warm’ in the same way that cinnamon is warm. After another few infusions, In Bloom’s body became more and more floral, as the warming plum-like undertone became stronger and thicker. By the sixth infusion, this tea’s texture was frothy and slightly oily. Steeps 7 - 14 By the seventh and eighth infusion, In Bloom’s body was stronger with its medicinal floral body, and was as rich and thick as a chicken broth. In Bloom’s grassy tasting notes were completely gone, but lightly resembled hay at this point in the session. By the tenth infusion, this tea was smooth, and left a faint astringent mouthfeel on the sides of the tongue. By the fourteenth infusion, In Bloom began to settle down and began to dilute in taste. However, despite going for fourteen steeps, this tea was ready to be put away. Conclusion 2018 In Bloom is a new sheng puer released by Bitterleaf Teas and is a sequel to their 2017 version by the same name. In Bloom is a Jingmai region tea, and is blended with both small and big tea tree material. One thing that stood out with In Bloom 2018 is its tasting notes were more floral, sweet, and fruity than it’s 2017 counterpart. One thing I like about In Bloom was how noticeable and upfront its floral tasting notes are. Another aspect about this tea that I like is how much depth it held as far as tasting notes and body goes, becuase for a single origin tea, I felt like it could have been a blend (which is really saying something). However, without making claims that the 2017 version of this tea was bad, 2018 In Bloom was noticeably different and is an immense improvement. Overall, when I first saw that 2017 In Bloom was getting re-vamped, and just based on how memorable the 2017 version was, I decided to blindly beeng the new version of it. Without a doubt, I can say that I made the right decision and don’t have any regrets with it. In Bloom highlights the Jingmai reign so well that all Jingmai lovers across the board will fall in love with this tea. So if you’re into sweet sheng and want to own one that wont break the bank, while still tasting like it might, In Bloom might just find its way into your cup next time around…

Hello hello! Bitterleaf Teas released their 2018 spring productions just a few weeks ago. After teasing their new releases for the past few months on social media, I had no other option but to dive in and buy a few things from their site… Okay, to be honest, it was one hell of a doom-cart (which means shopping cart of doom). So my doom-cart included three beengs, five dragon balls, two mini bricks, and a lot of samples. A part of this mega-haul included one of their most expensive offerings to date — 2018 Naka sheng puer. This tea comes in two different forms: a beeng and a dragon ball. Since i’ve been a fan of this region, I decided to snag some of the dragon balls and an entire beeng for myself. Since it’s Bitterleaf Tea’s second most expensive tea in their 2018 spring lineup, what’s it all about? Well, lets find out! Dimensions — 7g tea ball for a 70ml shibo Beeng Price — $128.00 Water Temperature - 190ºf Number of Steeps - 22 Steeps 1 - 10 In this session I brewed a dragon ball of Naka. Anyways, on the first infusion, Naka immediately gave off an oil-like texture with a faint tasting note of green grass. After another infusion, this tea ball quickly thickened up, and brought forth an undertone of sugarcane which left a thick and humid impression on the back of the throat. Naka continued to open up with a thick and viscous body, which brought a medicinal forefront with a light floral and sweet undertone. By this point (around the 6th infusion), this tea already hit a bliss point with its combination of flavors. However, by the 8th infusion, this tea continued to change, as its texture turned more milk-creamy and vegetal, as compared to it’s oiliness. By the tenth infusion, Naka was leaving a steamy aftertaste that continued to linger longer and longer in the back of the throat. Steeps 11 - 22 Naka’s creamy medicinal body kept leaving a trail of light green grass, sugar-snap peas, and a very faint tasting note of flowers behind it. Infusion after infusion, this tea kept going and didn’t let up. Its bliss point kept going on and on, and by the fifteenth infusion, it was just as creamy and rich as it was in its earlier infusions. However, by this point, I was starting to feel heavy in the head and broke out in a hot sweat. This tea’s energy was creeping its way all over my body as I was overcome with a sense of placidness. However, by the 20th infusion, this tea was already at the 8 minute mark and was starting to dilute. By the 22nd infusion (the 12 minute mark), this tea had given its all and it was time to be put away…. Conclusion 2018 Naka is a spring tea released by Bitterleaf Teas, and is the second most expensive tea in their 2018 spring production. One thing I liked about Naka was that its hella complex, and right when I though I figured it out, it subtly changed again (for the better). This tea’s body was right-off-the-bat thick, which continued to get stronger and creamier as the infusions went on. Another aspect about this tea that I liked was that it left a heavy fragrant aftertaste in the back of the throat, and the longer the infusion, the longer the aftertaste. However, I tried this tea at a boiling temperature for one infusion and it came off very aggressive. Since this tea is still so fresh, I highly recommend brewing it at a lower temperature (like 190ºf). In conclusion, Naka is a tea that needs a lot of careful attention when brewing. Considering that this tea is so complex (and when considering its price point), this isn’t just something that you can brew on the go. This tea needs careful attention to be fully appreciated. While that might be off-putting for some, taking your time with this tea will only add to your experience because the more you put into it, the more it’ll give back. So when you go to brew this tea, close the curtains, put on a favorite record, turn off your cellphone, take a deep breath, and close yourself off from the world and let yourself be consumed by Naka…

Hello hello! Yunnan Sourcing’s Jingmai Sun-Dried “Three Aroma” Bai Mu Dan is a 2018 spring tea that was released earlier in the year, and is a tea that I’ve been drinking a lot of. After going through 50g of it in less than a week I placed an order for 300g more a week later. Now that I have a large stock-pile of this tea (and since I keep raving about it on social media), you must be wondering what all of my hype is about. Well, what is it all about? Let’s find out! Dimensions - 4.6g of this tea for a 70ml shibo Tea Price - $5.75 per 50g or $21.00 per 200g beeng Water Temperature - 190ºf Number of Steeps - 14 Steeps 1 - 6 At first, Three Aroma was light and watery, which left a faint echoing floral aftertaste on the tongue. After a second infusion, this tea’s body quickly thickened up as it left a sugarcane-like sweetness lingering on the lips. Three Aroma continued to thicken up and by the fourth infusion, turned into a distinct broth-like texture that left the mouth feeling dense and humid. By the sixth infusion, this tea kept expanding into a brass-like base tasting note that kept getting reflected in its body. Steeps 7 - 14 Around halfway through my session with Three Aroma, this tea’s body kept expanding further and further into the mouth. It seemed that the longer the steeping time, the longer this tea lingered a brass-like floral sugarcane tasting note in the mouth. However, within this brass-like tasting note and broth like body, a faint undertone of agave nectar and bell pepper skin made itself known. After a few more steeps, and around the tenth infusion, this tea began to settle down and lighten up on its viscous body. By the fourteenth infusion, Three Aroma gave it its all and it was time to be put away. Conclusion Yunnan Sourcing’s Jingmai Sun-Dried “Three Aroma” Bai Mu Dan is a 2018 spring tea that was released earlier in the year. One thing I liked about this tea is how flavorful and how complex its tasting notes are. The tasting notes kept changing throughout the session while maintaining a strong yet meditative backbone. Another thing I liked about this tea is its adaptability to maintain a flavorful profile regardless of how long or how hot you brew it for. It seemed to be easily accessible, and although being complex, is quite easy to drink. Overall, I’m a fan of this tea. In the past three to four weeks, I’ve consumed over 100g of this tea — quicker than any other white tea or sheng that I’ve ever come into contact with. Am I just going through a phase, or do I simply like this tea because of how fresh it is? It’s too early to tell. However, I am fairly certain that my admiration for this tea is something that wont go away anytime soon. So next time I visit Yunnan Sourcing, I might just grab a few beengs of Three Aroma to see what a bit of aging does to this tea. But in the mean time, I’m just going to sit back, relax, and enjoy tea tea in the present moment, and of course, be blissfully tea drunk….

Hello hello! Earlier this year, Yunnan Sourcing released a 100g mini-beeng of Mengku Sheng Puer — ‘Tofu’ Village to be exact. According to Yunnan Sourcing, this tea was pressed from 2017 autumn sheng material, and was pressed later on in the year. It was harvested from 20-30 year old plantation tea trees that grow naturally without the use of pesticides. However, this tea is $5.00 USD per a 100g beeng. So for the price, is this tea worth bothering with or is it going to be an unexpected surprise? Lets find out! Demensions - 4.3g of tea for a 65ml gaiwan Beeng Price - $5.00 USD for 100g Water Temperature - 190ºf Number of Steeps - 14 Steeps 1 - 6 Tofu first started out light and medicinal, and left a freshly cut green grass aftertaste on the tongue. After a few more steeps, a broth-like texture arose from this tea’s body, which gave off a cotton-like mouthfeel. Despite the thick mouthfeel, there was a light undertone of sweet moss that lingered in the back of the throat. Steeps 7 - 14 Tofu continued to press on as its thick body seemed to mellow out a bit, but still retained its medicinal backbone. Its green grass tasting notes from earlier turned richer, which best resembled an autumn leaf pile. By the tenth infusion, this teas texture turned from cotton to oil along with a light sweet undertone. However, by the fourteenth infusion, this tea was finished and I was ready to move on… Conclusion 2017 Tofu Village is a autumn sheng puer sourced from 20-30 year old tea tree material from Mengku, and is from Yunnan Sourcing. One thing I liked about this tea was how clean and clear the material was. Another aspect I like about this tea is its surprisingly thick texture — especially considering this tea’s price point. Although I didn’t get a lot of qi (energy) from drinking this tea, it proved to be a relaxing session nonetheless. Overall, Tofu is a great daily drinker that’s easy to drink and hard to over steep. I think that new tea drinkers will find this sheng to be very accessible. I also think this was worth the $5.00, and turned out to be an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise! Although Yunnan Sourcing didn’t pay for this review, or send me this tea for free, I can say that this was a fun experience and is one Ill look forward to having again in the future.

Hello hello! Many tea companies are getting puer productions underway, and some have even started releasing new teas! One of the companies to release new tea is Crimson Lotus Tea. Last week, they released a new beeng of multi-year tea material, which was sourced from multiple different mountains. Crimson Lotus Tea called this blend the Jade Rabbit. Luckily I was able to obtain a 7g sample of this tea, provided buy Crimson Lotus Tea, right before they pressed the material. So what makes the Jade Rabbit so special? Since Crimson Lotus Tea hasn’t released any new teas since last year, was it worth the wait? Let's find out! Dimensions - 6.5g of tea for a 100ml vessel Beeng Price - 200g for a $79.99 beeng Water Temperature - 190ºf Number of Steeps - 15 Steeps 1 - 6 Jade Rabbit first started out light and savory, and held a soft and fluffy texture. After a few more infusions, Jade Rabbit gave off a hay-like tasting note with a light undertone of mushroom. As the steeps went on, this tea became richer and more smooth, and had a body that was velvety to the tongue. By the sixth infusion, a faint sweetness appeared on the sides of the tongue, but didn’t last long. Steeps 7 - 15 By the seventh infusion, Jade Rabbit unleashed one hell of a beast and became heavy and burly. It turned more aggressive and carried a heavy punch that brought forth the broth-like tasting notes of hay with an undertone of mushroom. Along with the undertone of mushroom, Jade Rabbit left a mild bitterness on the base of the tongue. However, by the eleventh infusion, Jade Rabbit seemed to mellow out into a smooth and sweet-like nectar which left a lasting sweetness on the tongue. Jade Rabbit continued to hit this bliss-point up to the fifteenth and last infusion. By that point, this tea had no more to give… Conclusion Jade Rabbit is a new puer blend released by Crimson Lotus Tea, and according to them, this is a blend that they will never be able to recreate again. One thing about Jade Rabbit that I liked was its complex tasting notes which seemed to continually change throughout the session. Another thing about this tea that I liked was the number of infusions I was able to get out of it. Hell, if my kettle didn’t run out of water, I probably could have made this tea last for a sixteenth infusion. However, I obtained the maocha (loose leaf) version of this tea before it was pressed into a beeng, so since it was so recently pressed, the beeng version of this tea might be more humid and might come out with slightly different results than I did. Overall, Jade Rabbit was another memorable experience for the books and is a tea that I would recommend for puer lovers alike. If this tea is any indication for what Crimson Lotus Tea has in store for the rest of us with their 2018 productions, then I can say with confidence that we’re going to be in for a real treat.

Hello hello! Earlier this year, Yunnan Sourcing released two new certified organic shou puer teas! One of them is a 200g beeng, while the other one is a 100g beeng. Whenever I placed my last Yunnan Sourcing order, two of them were included in my order — one for me to keep and the other one to give away! So for today’s review, we’re going to go over Yunnan Sourcing’s 2017 Gong Ting Certified Organic Shou Puer! Dimensions - 4g of tea in a 60ml gaiwan Beeng Price - 100g for $13.80 USD Water Temperature - boil Number of Steeps - 12 Steeps 1 - 6 At first, this tea started out light and earthy, which left an undertone of dirt and stevia in the mouth. After another few infusions, this tea’s color quickly turned dark as the texture turned rich and frothy. The tasting notes of sweet dirt took over this tea's palate as it left a distinct light aftertaste of cola (soda). After a few more infusions, this tea was so thick that it started to become minutely bitter. Steeps 7 - 12 Around the sixth infusion, this tea’s base consisted of dirt with the lingering sweet aftertaste of cola. This tea’s texture was still thick and soft, but around the eighth infusion, this tea’s color and body began to lighten up. Around the tenth infusion, this tea began to quickly taper off and only tasted like cola. By the twelfth and last infusion, this tea was completely used up and was ready to be put away. Conclusion Yunnan Sourcing’s 2017 Gong Ting Certified Organic Shou Puer is a 100g beeng that was released earlier in the year. One aspect about this tea that I liked was that its texture was soft and smooth. Another thing I liked about this tea was that it had a strong, yet pleasant, distinct aftertaste that reminded me of soda. However, this tea shows evidence of being recently pressed because of how humid it is, and can greatly benefit from resting a bit longer before drinking again. Overall, this shou was a memorable one because of its distinct tasting notes, and is a shou that I would recommend to anyone. Beside needing more time to rest/air out, this tea has a lot of promising signs of being great as time goes on. So now that I have a second beeng of this tea in my possession, I might as well give it away (randomly). Below is a link to my Instagram post with more info. on how to win it… https://www.instagram.com/p/BiX5PGlnHvr/?taken-by=theoolongdrunk -Blissfully Tea Drunk

Hello hello! Cock-a-doodle-doo! Wake up, because it’s tea time! For today’s tea, we’re going to pay close attention to the cockiest tea in White2Tea’s fall line-up. That’s right, this tea is not just any cock of the walk, it’s the 2017 Year of the Rooster. After settling in the roost for the past several months, I figured that this feather needed to flock into my tea pot. Since this tea is named after the year of the Rooster, does this tea cluck or giblet when brewed? Lets find out… Water Temperature - Boil Demensions - 6.5g in a 100ml glass tea pot Beeng Price - $49.00 USD Number of Steeps - 12 Steeps 1 - 4 Year of the Rooster first started out with a light texture as a hay/grass-like tasting note made its way past my tongue, and echoed an ever-so-slight sweetness in the throat. After a few more steeps, a light medicinal undertone made itself known. By the third infusion, this tea began to get a little thicker as it’s texture started to feel a lot like velvet, and by the fourth infusion, it was beginning to take on a broth-like body. Steeps 5 - 12 Year of the Rooster continued to expand as its body kept thickening. By the sixth infusion, this tea resembled a broth — not only because of its velvet-like texture, but because of how savory the medicinal and hay-like tasting notes became. However, around the tenth infusion, it finally began to lighten up. After the twelfth infusion, I was starting to feel light-headed as this tea’s energy made its way though my body. After nearly two liters of water later, this tea was completely spent and was time to be put away… Conclusion Year of the Rooster is a 2017 Fall sheng puer by White2Tea. One thing I liked about this tea was how thick this tea’s body was. At one point, it was more of a broth than a tea. Another aspect about this tea that I liked was how long this tea stayed thick for. Even though I only got twelve infusions out of it, this tea was still bold for nearly every single infusion. However, it seemed evident that this tea blend was made with the intent of having texture, mouthfeel, and energy. Overall, Year of the Rooster was a good send-off to White2Tea’s 2017 Fall production line, and left a good impression as far as energy goes. I would recommend this tea to those who love strong characteristics of being thick and savory. With the 2018 productions underway, one can only expect that Year of the Dog will bring many great things with it…