Hello hello! Shou puer, especially aged shou puer, is one of those things where you either love it or hate it. Sometimes it’s really hard to turn other tea drinkers on to the idea of aged shou, especially because its already been composted for forty five days. However, despite that shou isn’t for everyone, there are really great examples of this tea that are so good, it’s almost guaranteed that everyone will like it. Now I know that’s a strong statement, but not so outlandish when referring to 2000 Old Warrior by Crimson Lotus Tea. Old Warrior ended up being one of my favorite aged shous, and was awarded the best Aged Puer in 2016! So come find out why Old Warrior still has fight left in it, and will continue to fight for your tastebuds in the coming future… Steeps 1 - 4 For this session I used 6.6g of Old Warrior for a 100ml vessel. Before starting the session, I gave this tea a quick rinse — which washes away any debris left on the tea from pressing. Anyways, the first thing that became noticeable when sipping this tea is the tasting notes of tree bark and fresh mulch. After a few more steeps, the taste of dirt and wood became more prominent as this teas smooth body was overshadowed by its strength. Steeps 5 - 8 Old Warrior kept on fighting, despite its wise old age. The body of tree bark began to smooth out as the compost and mineral notes held its strength. As the steeps went on, this shou went from sharp to smooth in just two steeps. With the smooth body, this tea’s liquor became visually darker with an amber tone. Old Warrior was crisp to the sight, and smooth and rich to the taste. Surprisingly, this aged shou was coming out crystal clear, and held a beauty that most other shou puers don't get the chance to radiate. Steeps 9 - 12 Old Warrior’s powerhouse notes of mineral and compost progressively mellowed out, as the light base of tree bark began to settle in as well. However, the tree bark left an aftertaste that resembled a damp forest. With that, this tea’s soothing and velvety palate came together to resemble something light and medicinal, as this tea was taking me through the last bits of its journey. After the twelfth infusion, this Old Warrior was ready to take a break as it already fought the good fight… Conclusion There is a clear indication why Old Warrior won Best Aged Puer in 2016. Not only is it a great example of how relaxing and enjoyable an aged shou can be, it was also preserved exceptionally well. However, when describing a shou, it can sometimes be difficult to describe something that tastes like dirt and tree bark to be remarkable and appetizing. We as humans don’t associate tree bark with something that taste delectable, but shou puer is completely different. The tasting notes in Old Warrior were presented in such a way that it made the mouth water just by the thought of it, and at its price point it’s almost insane to think that this tea isn’t more popular. In conclusion, Old Warrior is a great tea for all tea drinkers alike, and yet very easy to drink. There are many reasons why this tea is a gem to add to your collection (in part due to the fact that a ruby was actually found in a beeng of Old Warrior!). May this Old Warrior be remembered by many tea drinkers to come, and maybe you’ll get to find out why this aged shou was rated one of the best in 2016… Rating - 9.0

Hello hello! Music plays a great part in everyday life, and sometimes can be more than just a collection of sounds to create a melody. What I mean is: some albums and some pieces of music transcends into the realm of art. When music becomes an art form, many people can connect with it despite their age, nationality, or even era that they live in. In these pieces of work, they can be so beautifully done that you can close your eyes and listen to the album from beginning to end in its entirety, just like sitting in a theatre and watching a movie. Personally, there’s only been a few instances where an artist created something that impacted me in such a profound way — I didn't just listen to it, I felt it. When you’re able to connect with a piece of art that makes you feel such a wide range of emotion, it’s an intimate and euphoric experience. However, there’s one album that broke the barrier from sound to art, and made me feel like I was floating above the clouds. This was an experience that almost resembled a high, which is why we’ll be going over White2Tea’s 2016 We Go High… Steeps 1 - 4 For this session, 6.6g of tea was used in a 100ml vessel, with a heated water temp of 180ºf. After a quick rinse, the first infusion was under way. At first, this tea presented a broth and savory like body with a clean and mouthwatering finish. As the steeps went on, a light bitter sensation started to form on the back of the throat, while dragging a light undertone of fresh milky fig. The tasting note of fig almost resembled an apricot, or a peach, which was held up by a medicinal backbone. With the continuing steeps, the broth became prominent in the mouth, and a tasting note of an autumn leaf pile started to creep out of the woodworks. With the end of the fourth infusion, this ensemble of tasting notes was all over the place as this tea was trying to find its voice. Steeps 5 - 8 We Go High started to get itself together by finding a direction to go in. With the fifth infusion, the tasting notes began to polish off and form an orchestra of complexities. With the broth and savory base, this tea brushed the tongue with the undertones of sweet fruit which started to mellow out. Despite the tones of fig disappearing, a light umami backdrop began to replace it. Along with the sweetness changing, the medicinal tasting profile started to become more prominent, and pushed the notes of autumn leaf pile out in center stage. Steeps 9 -12 Just like before, the base of broth was still present at this point in the session. Unlike before, the undertone of oil stepped up to the plate and let itself be known. The medicinal oiliness danced in the cheeks with the taste of a leaf pile, which left the mouth watering more than ever. While the notes were settling their way to the throat, the leaf pile left a strong room-filling aftertaste of bell and banana peppers behind in its wake. Up until the twelfth infusion, We Go High kept leveling out until there was nothing to level out anymore, and only the savory broth body remained. Technically, the session ended here. However, I kept going and killed the tea until I got every last drop out of it. After steep sixteen, I realized that I was tea drunk beyond belief. Music Makes Us High Growing up, music didn’t play much of an important role in my development into a young adult. However, there were other aspects of my life that called for more attention that wouldn't allow me to get distracted by the media. You see, my parents divorced when I was at a young age, and my father became ill when I was in middle school. My father had blood pressure issues, which affected his kidneys very negatively. Subsequently, he fell into a depression that alcohol could only cure. After my parents divorce, they stayed good friends and I was allowed to visit my father anytime I wanted to. They both held a strong stance that my sister and I could connect with whichever parent we wanted to, without feeling caught between their marital problems. This meant that I spent every weekend with my dad, and growing up, he became my best friend. When we were together, he never drank but saved it for when I was back at home. Unfortunately, the alcohol took a toll on his kidneys. We always knew that his health was failing, but none of it became real until we got the phone call from him. He was in the emergency room, blind. According to the doctors, his kidneys completely failed on him which caused him to go blind. However, if he waited any longer to go the emergency room, he would had died. To prevent any further damage, the doctors put him on emergency dialysis — which essentially is the process of filtering your blood to make it clean again. I was with him in the hospital room when they put an emergency catheter in his groin — which is a device that connects your artery to the dialysis machine. Since he didn’t already had a catheter, they had to fix him with a temporary one until he could get surgery to have a permanent one put in place. I stood by him as he laid in the bed while getting emergency dialysis. Every time he moved, the catheter would unhook. And twice it unhooked, and twice I watched the blood spew out of him all over the wall of the hospital room. A year went by since watching that and I was a mess, but not nearly as bad as my father. He fell deeper into his depression, and became verbally abusive. He quit being the cool father that I grew up to love, and turned into a person that I no longer knew. He yelled more and more, until one point his temper got the best of him. I cut contact with him after that incident. Three months later, they found him lifeless in his apartment. When he died, it didn’t phase me in the least. I was leaving middle school and was preparing for high school, but since I haven't seen him since the incident, I didn’t care at the time. I was in denial, and lived that way until I was seventeen when I started to write about him. I didn't think writing about him would do anything, but knew my anxiety and depression was ruining my quality of life. After writing about him, a wave of emotion came over me as I was crippled with sadness. I sat in my room that evening and cried about everything. I was hurt, angry, lonely, and confused. Everything that I repressed up until that point all came out at once, and it destroyed me. After a few months of exploring these new emotions and working through the confusion I had towards my dad, I came across an album that connected with me more than any other piece art. Ultravoilence by Lana Del Rey was the first album that made me feel more connected with any other piece of art. Upon the first time listening to it from beginning to end, I was completely taken back by how much I connected with every song, every lyric, and every melodic tone. Lana recorded this entire album live, in a room with only 5 other instruments. Everything you hear, especially her voice, was recorded for the first and only time. The intimacy that came through in this album overwhelmed me more than I was expecting. It was more than a feeling of euphoria, it was a feeling of being high. In this album, this woman poured her heart out to sing the complex and complicated feelings of being in a love hate relationship, and described what it truly meant to love somebody who is toxic for you. Until that point, I didn’t think anybody else understood how confusing those feelings were. This piece of music helped me understand why loving someone, regardless of your relationship to them, can be both good and bad to your overall wellness. With my father, it was confusing because he was a really good man. He made friends with everyone he met, and to see him take such a turn for the worst was truly heart breaking. He turned into someone I didn’t know, and if he wasn’t as sick as he was, he wouldn't have been as mentally abusive as he became. He was a tortured soul who didn’t know how his actions were affecting the people that needed him the most. And that’s okay, because he was flawed. He was human and did the best he could, the only way he knew how. I eventually drove nine hours to the beach, and spread his ashes while listening to Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey. Whenever I listen to that work of art now, I envision the sights of the beach. I can hear the ocean, smell the breeze, and feel the sand on the bottom of my feet. Whenever I listen to that album now, and when I close my eyes, Im back at that same exact spot on the beach. I was able to let him go and let go some of the feelings that I held onto, and Ultraviolence helped me through that. It’s a beautiful thing when you can listen to an album and feel the wide range of emotions you feel while relating to the artist. That’s not music, thats art. Conclusion We Go High is a fantastic sheng puer blend by White2Tea, and is one thats very well worth the price point that its listed. Although it’s released as a fall tea, I suspect that there could be a spring tea mixed within this beeng. I also suspect that theres a variation of Mensong puer within this blend, including the base of Jingmai with a touch of Yiwu. Overall I believe that We Go High is a complex tea that can’t be appreciated by all, especially by new tea drinkers because this is a difficult tea to understand. After spending much time with this particular tea, I can conclude that this is definitely one for the books, because it’s great in so many ways. So if you’re up to it, grab a sample of this tea and put on a favorite record because although other people go low, we can go high….

Hello hello! Welcome to the first edition of ‘Ask The Oolong Drunk’ where I’ve been taking your questions that will be answered on here. Thank you for the positive response to this idea, and thank you for all of those who submitted questions. Although I’m only answering a few this time, this series will be continual so keep the questions coming! Do you have any advice on starting a tea blog? - Ryan Long story short, I started ‘theoolongdrunk.com' as a passion project which I used to help expand my knowledge of tea. Over a year later, there’s still so much to lean. Even after all of this time, it still feels like I’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to the world of tea. With that being said, there’s a lot of small things here and there thats best learned by personal experience (mainly because your experience with blogging will be different compared to mine). However, there’s one thing that no one really tells you when you get into tea blogging, but seems to be universally known by veteran bloggers. When starting a blog about a very distinct sector of the food/beverage industry, the more specific the topic, the smaller of an audience you’ll reach. Tea is a very specific drink, and even with that, not all tea drinkers are passionate about the drink to want to read about it, much less make a hobby out of it (same goes to chocolate blogs, wine blogs, bread blogs, etc.). So when starting out on your blog, you’re not going to see too much turnover on readership right off the bat. Because of this, I’ve seen many people start tea blogs and stop them after around six months, because they’re not seeing the amount of traffic that they originally expected. There are veteran tea bloggers who have been around for nearly a decade, and they have larger followings than people who are just starting out (or tea drunks who are barely a year and a half). However, compared to other bloggers that have a wider range of content to cover, they’re still not raking in thousands and thousands of page visitors a day. I don't think this is an issue or anything, but my advice to you is to start out having fun with your blog and make sure you’re the one benefiting from it. Even one new page visitor could fall in love with your blog, and just knowing that there’s at least one person who connected to you through your work makes it all worth while. Plus, the bitches man. What is your favorite tea? - Tea Drinker My unofficial official mantra is, “Oolong is my passion while puer is my obsession.” I started drinking tea with a immense love for oolong (Taiwanese oolongs and green oolongs to be specific), but later fell in love with puer. With puer tea, I’m more of a fan of sheng than shou, but both find their way into my system several times a day. Beyond oolong and puer, I don’t have a specific favorites for each, mainly because my favorites change quicker than a ten year old boy with ADHD who just drowned an energy drink. -The Oolong Drunk “Blissfully Tea Drunk"

Hello hello! Starting today, I'm launching a new feature to the website called 'Ask The Oolong Drunk'. This is a new editorial that will be used to answer any of your tea related questions, and published weekly/biweekly. When starting any hobby or newfound passion, sometimes there are questions that you may have that can't be answered by just doing a google search. Sometimes, you need the advice of someone whose experienced in doing that hobby to guide you. How To Ask Click on the 'About/Contact' tab on the toolbar and submit your questions there. In the subject line, please state 'Ask The Oolong Drunk'. I may not acknowledge that I've received your question, but if it gets selected, it will be answered on a new blog post. As far as personal information goes, I will keep your full name and email address private, and will only publicly acknowledge you by your first name. If you don't want to be acknowledged, or want to stay anonymous, then please state it when you submit a question. What Questions Will Be answered? I will answer questions that ask for advice, recommendations, or any complex questions that require more than a simple answer. Sometimes I will answer multiple questions in a post, or just a single question depending on the depth of the question you're asking. I will not accept any questions that include racial slurs, hate speech, derogatory and demeaning insults, or any rude comments. These inquiries will be ignored. Now that the information is ready to go, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask away! - The Oolong Drunk "Blissfully Tea Drunk"

Hello hello! According to the dictionary, by definition ‘art’ is the quality production, expression, or reals, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. Art comes in many different ways, and can be used to provoke a certain emotion because of how it resinates with you. By definition, can tea be art? Personally, I believe so. In the world of tea, especially blended teas such as puer, there is an art to creating a new flavor using natural resources, and can help make you feel a certain emotion. Some of these pieces of art happen to come from White2Tea, and specifically, their 2015 puer blend named ’72 Hours’. Here’s why I consider ’72 Hours’ a masterpiece, and why it made me cry the last time I experienced it… Steeps 1 - 4 For this session, 6.6g of tea was used in a 100ml vessel, with a heated water temp of 180ºf. After a quick rinse (which is done to rid the tea of any dirt or dust), the first infusion was well under way. The first sip of 72 Hours brought a light sheet of sugary infused oil, which progressively got thicker and heavier. It was really surprising because puer usually needs a few steeps to open up in the same way that 72 Hours opened up — just in the first infusion. Towards the end of the fourth infusion, the sweetness became more pronounced and embodied the likeness of mixed berries and apricots. Steeps 5 - 8 As the infusions kept going, so did 72 Hours. This sheng puer unleashed one hell of a body, which was revealed through its lubricating mouthfeel. This piece of art continued to inspire the taste buds as the heavy oil brought fourth the stevia like sweetness with a tasting note that best resembled cotton candy; yes, you read that correctly: cotton candy. As the taste of this delicious carnival treat made its way past my throat, it left behind the aftertaste of freshly-mowed grass. A million things were going on at once with my tastebuds, and they were trying desperately hard to attach to the tea that floated past it. At this point, the tea also carried a punch. However, all of this bliss made one hell of a statement. Steeps 9 - 14 72 Hours began to mellow out around the tenth infusion. While the oily cotton candy sweetness was still present, every single aspect of this tea started to flow together harmoniously, like a well rehearsed orchestra. Everything came together creating a trance like state on the tongue which blasted my tastebuds into orgasmic orbit. Not only that, the combination of everything was so beautifully pieced together that I questioned rather if I was steeping crack-cocaine instead of puer tea. While questioning the nature of this tea, all of 72 Hours’ attributes went straight to my heart and before I knew it, an overwhelming sensation blanketed me. Now pausing for a long deep breath, tears rolled down the sides of my cheeks, almost like boulders falling off the side of a cliff. In fact, every bit of tension I was holding onto, 72 Hours freed me from, and propelled me into the gates of heaven… Conclusion In my lifetime, I’ve never had a drink that made an emotional impact, especially enough to evoke such a loss of tension that it reduced me to tears. While this tea wasn’t on anyones radar at time of release, it’s a damn shame that not too many people had a chance to experience a tea like this. Despite whatever field your hobby lies, or line of work you’re in, it’s easy say that the greats truly stand out. Whenever I say great, I mean Paul of White2Tea. In the world of tea, White2Tea released a sheng puer that showed us it’s more than possible to turn puer tea into an art form. So while this Banksy of a tea is no longer in the market, I sincerely hope you have the chance to experience a tea that’s as captivating and beautiful as 72 Hours, and hopefully you'll get the chance to sip on this work of art for yourself someday. Rating - King

Hello hello! Yunnan Sourcing is a staple for buying puer teas online, especially aged puer. One thing that amazes about the owner Scott is his ability to acquire so many different teas in such a short period of time. Some of these teas are his own, but most of them come from other places. One of those teas is a fourteen year old raw puer brick. Scott explained that the brick was made fourteen years ago for a puer seller, and after the deal fell through, they sat in a warehouse until he found them. After a year of negotiating and trying to acquire this brick, Yunnan Sourcing was able to obtain a small amount to sell on their site. Now that this brick made its way to the United States, I was able to get ahold of a sample to try for myself. This just happens to be the oldest sheng puer that I’ve tried to date, and curiosity was getting the best of me. So what would any sane person do? Eat it? No way — this isn't Cha Gao. But instead, here’s what to expect when you (figuratively) brew this teenager of a Bu Lang brick… Steeps 1 - 4 For this session, I measured 6.6g of this brick to brew in a 100ml vessel, with a temperature of 185ºf. After a quick rinse, the first steep was quickly on its way. At first, a very prominent base flavor of leather skid across the tongue - which is a sign of long-term humid storage. The notes of leather were laced with bright hints of apricots, and tapered off with a minty finish. As the infusions went on, the tea quickly got thicker and more powerful. After the fourth infusion, this tea felt medicinal because of its leatheriness. By the end of the fourth steep, my lips were tingling because of how thick Bu Lang’s soup was. Despite this tea’s power, it was also calming and relaxing because all of the tasting notes flowed together beautifully. Steeps 5 - 8 By the fifth infusion, this tea’s body took on a velvety texture that closely resembled beef broth. The brick slowly took on an astringent mouthfeel which left a viscous sweetness behind in its shadows. Bu Lang started to lose its apricot tasting notes, and was feeling rougher than it had before. Unlike the previous steeps, the tea was opening up in a way that its energy hit you in the face like a pissed off girlfriend whose throwing your stuff at you— Oh you know, some of you have been there before. Steeps 9 - 12 Bu Lang was rounding off its sweetness and quickly took on a bitter base, which was mixed with its leathery body. As the steeps went on, more and more of this tea’s body took on an earth-like texture, which reminded me of shou puer. The taste of earth resembled wood and dirt. The soup’s texture was starting to mellow out around the twelfth infusion, but still showing strong signs of humid storage — which was more evident due to its musky after taste. The notes of leather were still clear, and still present until the last steep. However, the sweetness and the fruitiness disappeared altogether. Because of this tea’s roughness, I figured it was best to end the session here. Conclusion 2003 Bu Lang was a great example of how an aged tea should taste. This tea showed clear signs of being stored in a humid climate, which may or may not be pleasant for all. 2003 Bu Lang started out incredibly strong, and was a great experience starting out. The tasting notes were so clear and crisp that you could easily detect them one by one. However, I was a little disappointed how quickly it lost its sweetness and how fast it became rough. Overall, I don’t think that aged puer is for everyone, but if you’re an aged puer enthusiast, this brick should definitely be added to your list of aged teas to try. With everything, this brick is set at an incredible price point, especially given how clean and how old this tea is. Yunnan Sourcing continues to provide excellent examples of how clean and well preserved an aged tea should be. So next time you’re about to place an order, be sure to drop some of this tea in your cart, because this is one experience worth having. Theres nothing like drinking an aged tea with a history behind it…

Hello hello! For this past month, I’ve been sponsored by FarmerLeaf Tea! You’ve probably already seen their ad whenever you click on one of my reviews. FarmerLeaf Teas is a puer company based out of China, and is ran by a guy named William and his wife Yubai. William started selling tea in 2011, but officially opened his very own online store in 2016. He’s been making his way around Steepster, Reddit, and Instagram — slowly gaining popularity for his quality. One thing that helps Farmerleaf stand out is the fact that they own their own factory, and they over-see every detail of the puer process. Now that I’m being sponsored by Farmerleaf, that doesn’t mean that I’ll be doing paid reviews, nor my opinion of their tea will be influenced by their sponsorship. Overall, I’m happy to announce that The Oolong Drunk is now friends with Farmerleaf! If our relationship with Farmerleaf only lasts for one month, or several. months, I can happily say that William is a great person to know and I look forward to our friendship. I encourage you to do the same — reach out to Farmerleaf and see for yourself why they’re so great! “Blisfully Tea Drunk” -The Oolong Drunk

Hello hello! Today we’re going down a slightly different path and explore one of Yunnan’s most bizarre tea exports. This just happens to be Cha Gao - which is a tea paste made from tea leaves. While calling it a paste is a bit misleading, it’s actually a hard and brittle piece of dissolvable tea that’s often marketed as ‘Puer on The Go’. But what is Cha Gao? Well, Cha Gao is made when tea is boiled for two to three days straight, and is boiled down so much that everything decomposes into a tar like substance. Then it’s poured over a sheet to cool down, and is stored for over a year before it’s ready to be consumed (a waiting period for humidity to leave the brittle). Today however, we’re going to dive into Bitter Leaf Tea’s Cha Gao. Bitter Leaf Teas calls their Cha Gao ‘Black Magic’, which comes in three different grades: bronze, silver, and gold. Their Cha Gao is made from 2015 Spring Yiwu Raw Puer, and released towards the end of 2016. For this review I’m going to tell you what to expect when drinking the gold standard of this oddity, and further explain why you shouldn't eat it… Steeps 1 - 3 According to Bitter Leaf Teas, their Black Magic should be brewed to around 1g for a 100ml vessel. And also, before the first three steeps, I gave this tea a quick rinse before moving forward. With the first steep, Black Magic brewed for thirty seconds. The first thing that I detected when drinking this tea was its thick body. The soup poured down my throat - with a light bees wax texture and left an earthy aftertaste. The notes of an autumn leaf pile was noticeable through out its body. Also, it held an astringency that brought on a leather like texture to this teas body. Steeps 4 - 6 While this session continued, I went forward with the next three steeps with a longer steeping time. As the Cha Gao became thinner, the steeps became longer to compensate for the constant changing tea-to-vessel ratio. While the Cha Gao still tasted nearly identical to how it did earlier, I was able to direct a light resin that seemed to drag a burnt leaf tasting note across the tongue. With the last steep, I held the tea up to the light and found tiny tea leaf particles at the bottom of the cup! At the end of the session with Cha Gao, I was immediately overpowered by a persisting energy that quickly made its way throughout my body. Eating Cha Gao Just like a cat with a diminishing number of lives, curiosity got the best of me. Looking down at this Cha Gao, there was a tiny piece that resembled a miniature breath mint. So like any other insane being, I took it upon myself to pop this piece of Cha Gao in my mouth and eat it like a tick tac. At first, I was so overpowered with the strong sense of bitter and astringency that I reached out for anything to aid the drying sensation in the mouth. Hell, at one point my gag reflex couldn't handle the strength of this concentrated tea and I began to dry-heave. After spending over ten minutes hacking up pieces of Cha Gao my tastebuds were fried. For the week following the Cha Gao incident, my tastebuds were still not back to normal because the tongue was slowly recovering. Conclusion Overall, Black Magic 2015 Yiwu Raw Puer Cha Gao was a great experience, considering what it is. Cha Gao definitely isn't for everyone, and definitely isn't a drink that should be recommend to people who are easily put off by the idea of pure and unflavored teas. While there are many different variations of Cha Gao out in the market, the Gold standard of Black Magic by Bitter Leaf Teas offers the easiest and clearest one to drink. Besides that, the presentation and packaging of this tea was fantastic! It honestly felt like unwrapping crack-cocaine. In the end, Cha Gao isn't for everyone, but Bitter Leaf Teas does a great job providing an option that is tastier than most other options in the market. So see for yourself if Black Magic Gold is an oddity worth trying, or worth looking at from a distance — either way just don’t eat it…

Hello hello! This time of year is usually when many people would usually start to gear up for Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, the filming schedule got pushed back, which means we have to wait for Game of Thrones to premiere 3-4 months later than usual. There’s other TV shows that I’ve been watching to help fill the void, but nothing quite like John Show can fill the hole of emptiness… ;) One of the greatest things about Game of Thrones is the countless fan theories that arise from the show, and even the books. Some of these fan theories have come true, and there are others that are yet to be reviled. One question I have is, what about tea? Does tea have any fan theories, so to speak? Well, theres a few that I can think of off of the top of my head, such as Japanese White Tea. Wait, Japanese White Tea? Actually, thats not a fan theory at all, and as strange and as outlandish as that sounds, Japanese White Tea is a very real thing! Here’s what you can expect when drinking Japanese Kanayamidori White Tea! Steeps 1 - 3 For this unusual specimen, which I will call Kana (shortened version of the name), I used 5g of tea for a 100ml vessel. For the first steep, the sweet and thick taste of green hay drizzled across the tongue and left a light aftertaste which filled the mouth like a sauna. As the steeps continued, this tea took on an unusual and viscous sweetness - so heavy that it almost came off as a flaw. Along with the sweetness, the tea slowly started releasing a citrus-like crispness aftertaste to its leafy body. Surprisingly, Kana took on a full bodied flavor quicker than other white teas. Steeps 4 - 6 This teas robust sweetness began to settle around the fourth infusion, as Kana took on a deeper profile. The hay notes that were present earlier transformed into a malt-like warmth, all while leaving the mouth with the lubricating mouthfeel of margarine. The texture of this tea was very unique, due in part to the fact that it had tasting notes that were so sharp to the tastebuds, yet so smooth in the rest of the mouth. As I continued on the sixth steep, I found myself in awe over how clear the tea’s liquor was. Steeps 7 - 10 The Japanese White Tea started to fade out a tiny bit more, but luckily it still had a lot to give. The tasting notes of grass and hay transformed into the taste of wheat. Although this tea’s body was oily earlier, its body had started to roughen up a bit and feel like a matted-velvet blanket that rested gently over the tongue. Throughout these steeps, the Japanese white tea filled every square inch of space in your mouth with a warmth that almost perfectly resembled whisky, while leaving a pleasant honeydew melon and coconut expression in the back of the throat. After the tenth steep I was ready to end the session and call it a night… Conclusion Japanese Kanayamidori White Tea is sold by Tealyra at $0.80 a gram. This, by far, is the most expensive white tea I’ve had the pleasure to come into contact with. In addition, this is also the most exquisite white tea I’ve ever had — period. This tea was robust, sweet, and full bodied in all of the right places. Right when you think Kana was going to take the traditional white tea route, it grabs you by the leg and takes you down a completely different path. While taking on similar features of Japanese green tea, it held its own ground and was a surprise at every turn. Not only was this tea unexpected, every flavor profile of this tea was very refreshing. However, you should be weary of over steeping Kana because it can easily become tart. Overall, the high cost of this tea makes it difficult to afford. While this tea is exceptionally delightful, I wouldn’t recommend it to the average tea drinker because of its delicacy. Even some of the amazing tasting notes that made Kana so great could easily be overlooked by someone whose not familiar with drinking hot tea. In the end, Japanese Kanayamidor White Tea was a great example of how an abnormal tea from Japan can be so good. When you get the chance to drink this exquisite white tea, hopefully you'll see it for the beauty that it truly is… Rating - 9.8

Hello hello! Since the puer storage is still recovering from the affects of winter (and my stomach is still recovering from Cow Cunt Puer), this would be a fantastic time to drink down some of the other teas that haven't been getting as much attention lately. While waiting for the puer to recover, I’ve been giving more treatment to oolongs and hot chocolate. Yeah, hot chocolate isn't tea but it’s still a good substitute! Anyways, lately I’ve been sipping on a very unusual oolong that derives from Japan. Japan is most notable for their green teas, but oolong? I know it sounds strange, but thats because it is. Japan isn't known for their oolongs, (or any other variation of tea for that matter) because they don’t produce a lot of it. Japanese tea culture is synonymous with green teas such as sencha and matcha. However, since their oolongs are not as well known as their green teas, here’s an idea of what you can expect when drinking Miyazaki Takachiho Japanese Oolong… Steeps 1 -3 For this particular oolong (MT for short), I used 5g of tea for a 100ml sized vessel. When opening this tea, the sacchariferous aroma of grass and corn lofted across the nose, and smelled so fresh you’d think it was just harvested yesterday. With the first infusion, the notes of cream corn danced across the tongue and painted a trail of fresh sugary grass behind it. MT left a salvia-inducing freshness that showed evidence of being steam-cooked. Steeps 4 - 7 The personality of MT was being altered rather quickly, as the light trails of grass grew thicker and more noticeable. Although the sweet notes of corn started to disappear, the luscious creamy texture stayed behind which gave MT a full bodied mouthfeel. While this tea was tasting thicker and fuller, it seemed to leave behind a small bitter like feel at the back of the tongue. With these steeps, I also discovered this delicate oolong turned tart if it was brewed too hot. Steeps 8 - 10 MT began to slowly mellow out, and although it was on the decline through these steeps, it still had a lot to present. These steeps weren’t as loud as before, and this is when MT went from rough to smooth. Each sip trickled down my throat with a lasting impression of velvety-smooth grass. The sweet notes of corn made a comeback as they helped guide the grass, and all came together to create a perfect ensemble of blissful liquid. Also, these steeps felt soft; so soft that the tea felt as fluffy as a cotton ball. With the last steep, and even the last sip, MT managed to make a harmonious exit… Conclusion Overall, Miyazaki Takachiho from Tealyra was a fantastic change from drinking other oolongs. This tea had a great body and was complex in more than one way. However, this tea sits at $30.00 per 100g. Even though Japanese Oolongs are rare to come by, the price point seems to be on the higher side. Despite its price point, it had a lot of memorable attributes that made this tea a pleasurable experience, such as its cleanliness and its clarity. In the end, I would buy more of this tea but save it to drink on special occasions. When you decide to try this oolong, hopefully you’ll agree that this tea is a great representation of why Japan should adopt Japanese grown oolongs into their tea culture… Rating - 9.6

Hello hello! Over the past year, I’ve seen some really bizarre teas that other companies produce. On Ali Express, for example theres been pressed tea cakes of pure hibiscus flowers, and even tea tree flowers. Lately tea companies, like White2Tea for instance, have been giving their teas funky names inspired by rap music, video games, or any other media that motivate them. But the funkiest? Well, the strangest has to be Cow Cunt Puer, which is a compressed mini toucha that sells for $35 a dozen. So is there anything great about Cow Cunt Puer? Lets mooooove on and find out! Steeps 1 - 3 I began the session with one and a half mini touchas of Cow Cunt, which is 6.6g of tea for a 100ml vessel . After a quick rinse, I gave this tea a whiff to see what I could find. It didn’t smell like too much of anything, but it did remind me of a horse stable. Anyways, I proceeded on to the first steep. At first, the notes of black liquorish appeared and left a wafting aroma of beef broth and dry boot leather. After a few more steeps the taste resembled the texture and mouthfeel of velvet with the taste of a used bird cage. After the third steep, the taste of bird poop mixed with black licorice was overtaken by the taste of mud. Steeps 4 - 6 While trying to prevent myself from gagging, I took a deep breath of the wet leaf. I wish I didn't, because its stench was as bad as it tasted. Despite the putrid aroma of cat piss, there was still a chance this tea could redeem itself, and what better way to find out then continuing on with the session. With the fourth and fifth infusion, this teas texture moved from leathery smooth to jagged barbwire, contributing to its surprising and unforgiving bitter astringency. These steeps filled my mouth with the taste of farm — but before you go off and say that ‘farm’ isn't a tasting note let me explain: So first I must ask, have you ever been to a farm or a petting zoo? When look around, there’s animals grazing on piles of hay that sit on a ground thats covered in bird and horse shit, mixed with the stench of animal urine that flow through the dirt. Along with that, just imagine the incense of a sweaty lama or a sweaty goat, mixed with the shit-infused dirt. So now you have the idea of what a farm smells and looks like, just imagine having those disgusting and gagging aromas on your tongue as they radiate from the tea you’re drinking. With the taste of farm lingering in the side of my cheeks, and the bitter and astringency that followed it, the sixth steeping decided to bring out the liking of stale cigar. Like, one of those damp cigars that makes you want to throw up after smelling it. With the added notes of cigar, I decided that this was an excellent time to end this session, and moooovoe on from this Cow’s Cunt. Conclusion Well, after drinking that, I felt violated. While I didn’t have any expectations for Cow Cunt Puer, I didn’t expect it to taste so rancid. Besides the horrid profile that this tea possessed, one thing that really upset me was how dirty this tea was. While brewing, so much dirt emerged from this mini toucha — along with tea leaves that looked like they slid across a cheese grader. Overall, this tea is sold for nearly $3.00 per mini toucha, and honestly, I think that the price doesn't reflect the value of Cow Cunt. While giving tea funky names is popular at the moment, this tea’s name could resemble what a cow’s vagina may taste like. If not the cows vagina, it reflects what a cow’s ass may taste like. With that in mind, now’s a great time to drink one of your better teas and appreciate it because it could always be worse… It could be a cow’s 'beef curtains'. Rating - 0.0

Hello hello! There’s been quite a few people, including a major puer shop owner, that suggested I share the nightmare I’ve experienced storing my puer collection over the past few months. Some of you may already know the issues that have been happening, especially considering that I’ve been playing the ’20 Question’ game on Steepster and with other peers in the tea community. In case you’re unaware, the issue is about me vs. puer storage in a humidor — or as others call it, ‘pumidor which means ‘humidor’ but for puer. What is Puer? Before we get into any of the specifics, we need to go over a few basics. First, puer is a kind of tea that can be aged and fermented, which slowly oxidizes over a lengthy period of time. There are two kinds of puer - Sheng and Shou. Sheng = raw, which is green tea that’s roasted light enough not to kill all of the active enzymes. Shou = ripe, which is where the tea is fermented over a period of time, and composted for 45 days before it’s ready for consumption. I mainly drink and review sheng, and store many cakes of sheng in an old mini fridge. In the pumidor, I only have young sheng, or raw puer that hasn’t had a chance to age and oxidize properly. Now that you understand what puer is, I can finally tell you where babies come from… or where my nightmare begins. Act 1 In my pumidor, I try to keep the temperature and humidity consistent all year long. My favorite combination is storing the tea around 75ºf, and around 65% humidity. Since the pumidor is a mini refrigerator, it’s not always possible to keep it at those specifics. This is especially true when this winter, we went from sunshine and tank tops, to sleet and parkas in the time span of three days. Since the pumidor was kept in a room that consists of 70% windows (and since our landlords are cheap and has old insulation in the attic), that meant that the temperature in the pumidor went from a drastic 75ºf to 50ºf overnight. For a week, the puer slowly started to turn tart and became sour. After a week went by of cold and uncomfortable pumidor temperatures, I decided to use a hair drier to warm up the inside and outside of the mini fridge daily. And at night, cover it with a blanket. After a week of this, this resulted in an overall 2º difference, and caused the humidity to drop. Unfortunately, over the course of doing this, the humidity slowly fell to a surprising 58%. This resulted in every single one of my teas to taste as dry as soot. For a few more weeks, the puer became more and more unbearable as their profile completely disappeared. Sad to say, gong-fu sessions that I had with top tier teas eventually tasted dry and astrigent, which was a huge disappointment considering that session cost $8.00. The wasted $8.00 session was the breaking point; the point at which something had to change. Act 2 Luckily for me, the living room is the warmest place in the house part in due to the fact that it’s the closest room to the central heating system. At that, there’s even a storage closet in the living room that could be closed off from any windows. I took my temperature gauge and measured the heat. To my surprise, the living room closet averaged 10º warmer than the room that the pumidor was currently in. Bingo. Without hesitation, the pumidor was moving. A week went by as the pumidor was making a cozy new home out of the living room closet. The temperature arose to 70º, but unfortunately I was still having the issue of having a low humidity. Hell, at this point, I gave up and started to drink down more of the oolongs that I acquired earlier in the year. However, a few tea colleagues that I communicate with convinced me to place a small cup/bowl of distilled water in the pumidor. The reasoning goes something like this — since tea is absorbent, it’ll absorb the moisture in the air thats given off by the cup of water. In return, the tea wouldn't be dry anymore and things sound start going back to normal. In retrospect, I should have left it alone. Act 3 Now that I thought I got everything under control, I decide to leave the storage alone for a week to give the tea time to rest. Since all of the changes were so drastic, I ran the risk of shocking and killing any active enzymes in the tea, thus disabling it from aging. When I thought all of the troubles were over, a new problem arose that affected every single one of the teas: leather and mushrooms. Yes, fucking leather and fucking mushrooms. The saga continued when I went to have the first gong-fu session with puer from the pumidor. I tried a high priced beeng of tea that typically tastes of caramel, fruit, and hay. I was shocked to find that the tea only tasted like astringent boot leather, with the after taste of mushrooms. I couldn’t even finish the session because of how overpowering the taste of basement was. This tea wasn’t even a year old, and up to this point, only tasted like heaven in a cup. I went back to check the humidity in the pumidor, and it only went up from 58% to 61%. The temperature was still sitting at 70º, but somehow the humidity was greatly affecting all of the tea. I immediately threw out the cup of water, and continued to sample a wide-range of teas from the pumidor. Every single one tasted like wet leathery boot. Form the less pricy teas to the outrageously expensive teas. All of them tasted exactly the same. At this point, I decided it was time to reach out for some help. After talking to several tea colleagues, the general consists was that the puer absorbed too much water, and for whatever reason, developed a funky odor over the course of the week that all of the teas picked up on. This only left me with one final question: What the fuck should I do now? For the past week and a half, I’ve been airing out the pumidor by fan, and I made sure that it got fresh air daily. Eventually, the leathery boot mushroom notes started to slowly disappear and the sweet, fruity taste of sheng puer started to come back. All of the teas started to regain their original profile, and even started to taste complex and sweet again. With a blast of fresh air, the tea seemed to be happy. For now at least, things are going back to a new normal and the nightmare is over. The Finale With much reflection, I’m able to share with you what originally went wrong, and hopefully my advice will be helpful for someone else out there. Initially, the issues all started with the first temperature drop in the pumidor. Instead of moving the puer to a warmer spot in the house, I panicked and made things worse. From there, it was a chain reaction that lasted for nearly two months. When one thing happened, I acted quick to try and fix it. That only sparked another reaction that affected the tea, then caused me to panic and make a quick fix, etc. Thankfully I took a deep breath and took some time tor reflect, and now that I can finally see this saga for its bigger picture, here are some tips hat can help you in the future: ​ If you think you can control puer, you're only kidding yourself. Puer is so much like a domesticated house cat; You can work with it but only on its own terms Invest in a hygrometer, and a good one at that. When cooler weather comes around, relocate your puer collection to a warmer part of the house. If your collection is too large to move, then create a makeshift pumidor that will carry enough tea to hold you over until warmer weather comes back around. You don't own your puer - it owns you. Like a kitty cat. Although adding water to your pumidor may give moisture to your puer, it doesn't necessarily add moister to the air. Check your tea regularly because if your tea absorbs too much moisture, it could potentially grow mold. Men - go clean the dishes that you left in the sink before your girl gets home (not tea advice but advice that will make your relationship significantly better). Leave your puer alone in the winter months. Seriously. If you live in a cooler climate where your puer can be affected in the winter months, then invest in some good oolongs to hold you over until spring/summer. Your puer is a house cat. Now go pet it. "Blissfully Tea Drunk"

Hello hello! Today I’m shedding light on which tea vendors you should or shouldn't trust in 2017. This is a grey area and is a topic that isn’t discussed publicly, mainly because it touches on controversies that repeatedly come up in the tea community. Essentially, when a tea company sells their house-pressed puer, are they selling what they say they are? I can go ahead and cut to the chase and say that there’s no real clear answer, but you can equip yourself with the right set of tools to be more cautious next time you buy that $20.00 old arbor Bing Dao tea cake… The Claims First I must share with you what brought this discussion up.There’s been discussion over a tea company that’s selling a sheng puer at $150.00 USD, and made with tea trees that are 1,000-1,600 years old. With their price point they're selling it for ¢0.28 a gram. This company (lets call them ‘Oolong Inc.’) is also selling a five year old sheng puer sourced from 1,000 year old tea trees for $80.00 USD. Fortunately for Oolong Inc., another company tried to pave the way for them by selling old-ass tea tree sheng puer. Last year a tea company infamously (lets call them ‘ChaI Corp.’) tried to sell a 100g tea cake for $60.00 each. What made this tea infamous is that Chai Corp. claimed this tea was from tea trees that were over 1,800 years old. This created discussions everywhere in the tea community, and has sparked a discussion that hasn't really gone away. The Bull Shit Lets be realistic here. For starters, the typical age for ‘old arbor’ tea trees is anywhere from 100-200 years old. Sometimes, and rarely, they can be older. However, the three oldest tea trees alive today are 1,700 (which died last year), 1,000, and 800 years old. These trees are quite rare and are often hard to come by considering all that they’ve been through. Since the oldest tea tree alive today is currently a century old, you can automatically dispel any claims of tea that comes from anything nearing the 800 year old mark. Last year, Yunnan Sourcing did some investigating and found that Chai Corp.’s ‘1,800’ year old tree turned out to be a famous 400-600 year old tea tree, and is protected by the Chinese government. To add to this, it’s even a federal crime to pick tea from this tea tree. At this point, you don’t need any more information to be convinced that Chai Corp’s claims were bullshit. Oolong Inc.’s claims are completely bogus and here’s why. If some of the oldest tea trees in China are between 800 and 1,000 years old, you can automatically discredit any of their teas said to come from trees that age, or any older than that. You can also discredit them because of how much they sell this tea for. So lets assume that there’s a farmer in Yunnan that has secretly grown a large orchard of tea trees that has survived close to the age of Christianity itself, and for over 30+ generations. And also lets assume that they have this collection of old tea trees. One, they wouldn’t be able to sell tea from these old ass trees for ¢0.28 a gram, much less $10.00 a gram. This tea would be so rare and inaccessible that they wouldn’t be able to sell any more than a few beengs of it, much less a tongs worth. It would be so rare that you could only sell it at auction and private deals, and would never see the light of day on the public and online market. Why Do They Lie? There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Although I blame the seller for endorsing ridiculous claims, it doesn’t stop there. For starters, its been documented by many tea companies that the tea markets in Yunnan are cut-throat, especially for non natives. Since tourism in the tea mountains is skyrocketing, a lot of locals associate foreigners with being wealthy. A lot of tea farmers are dirt-poor, and they sometimes oversell their product just to make a sale. With this, a lot of people get taken advantage of and often lied to when they go to the markets. So with that, here are some of the other possibilities to think of… The company bought from a farmer who lied about his claims The company tasted one tea, and was sold another (bait and switch) The farmer was telling the truth but due to poor translation, 160 year old tea trees turned into 1,600 year old tea trees The company bought tea from a 3rd party, and was lie to by the 3rd party The farmer actually believes in his claims and isn't lying. A lot of times, farmers are told by professionals false estimates on the age of their trees based on little to no fact Although none of the reasons listed above are the tea companies fault, they automatically endorse those falsehoods by selling the product. Even if the tea company was lied to, I still hold them accountable because they should have some basic knowledge over the product they’re selling. After all of this, if they don’t really know what they’re selling, then it makes me question their accountability with their other products as well. Who Should I Trust? With the recent controversies with Oolong Inc. and Chai Corp., it’s not unreasonable think a 10+ year old tea company would be trustworthy. However, what should you look for when buying tea and who should you believe? Although there isn't a black and white answer, here are some things you should look out for. For starters, look at the tea company in question and research their background. Almost anyone can find vendors and sell tea their self, but how does any specific tea company stand out as credible? Lets look at an example… Company A - Created over a decade ago by an e-bay seller of factory cakes, who sold them as a passion project. After 2-3 years of this, ‘Company A’ bought their own domaine, flew to China, and pressed their own puer cakes. ‘Company A’ has been traveling to China every year since and oversee the production of their tea (Yunnan Sourcing) Company B - Owns a tea house and becomes a youtube personality and endorses pseudo medicine practices. ‘Company B’ specializes in oolong, green, black, and white teas. ‘Company B’ started selling their own in-house puer cakes a year ago. Based on ‘Company A’ and ‘Company B’, who should you trust when buying puer? When considering the trustworthiness of a company you should consider their background in tea, what kind of tea they specialize, and importantly, how they acquired the tea itself. Did this company pop-up overnight without prior knowledge of tea? Is this company located in the United States, or are they located in China? What about White2Tea? White2Tea is a company ran by a guy who goes by the name of 2 Dog, and it’s important to mention him in this because he plays a role in the trustworthiness we have with tea companies. He’s made a name for himself by selling puer with western appeal, and most notable, for the way he markets his tea. Surprisingly, he releases tea without telling you what it is or where it comes from. His store works on a pricing system that operates like this: The more money you spend on a tea cake, the better the quality and the older the tree— Which also creates a bit of controversy because people don’t always trust the integrity of the seller. And without a fair amount of research, how can you trust someone who sells a $200.00 tea cake with little-to-no information to go off of? There’s only one way to judge a company like White2Tea, and the only way you can truthfully decide if any company is being honest or not. It’s whats in your cup. Conclusion In conclusion, theres a lot of deception in the tea community for quite some time now, and now that tea is becoming more popular, it’s more important now than ever to know where your tea comes from. There’s no real clear answer (although sometimes there is), and this topic always generates discussion. Fortunately, you hold the power to decide where you’re going to buy from. If you are not completely sure, remember to always ask questions, and sample as many teas as possible. Theres only one truth teller in this equation, and that’s whats in your cup. “Blissfully Tea Drunk"

Hello hello! 2016 is about to come to an end, and while there has been a lot of negativity over the past twelve months, there was also a lot of positivity. Sometimes it’s easy to be wrapped up in all of the negative, especially when social media and news outlets give off the perception that the world is ending. In reality, the world isn't ending. You woke up this morning, and you’re still here. So come join me to help celebrate some of the things that helped make 2016 not so bad, and helped make everything right again! This is the best of 2016! Before I go on to announce the winners, I just want to point out that besides the winner, the nominees are champions as well. The people who won, barely won by a hair’s width, as everyone mentioned here has been a positive influence in the world of tea… Best Tea Education The winner of this category has shown what it means to share tea information in the most neutral way possible. Not only did they bring up discussions that were helpful and insightful, they also go out of their way to make sure everyone feels as educated as they can by making their information accessible for any and all readers in the tea community. [Win] Tea DB @ TeaDB.org T-ching Blog @ tching.com World of Tea @t worldoftea.org Best Pottery This artist is being showcased for excellence in diversity and creativity by creating pottery thats not only tea ware, but also art. Severo Vostok Om [link to artist page] Best Tea Blog The winner selected has succeeded in making tea literature a pleasant experience, not only for their assessment of a certain tea, but interesting discussion topics that they bring to light. This person pushed the boundaries for their work in tea related content and is recognized for taking the extra step for making the most creative content in 2016. [Win] Cwyn - Death by Tea anon - A Tea Addict’s Journal Pau Murray - Two Dog Tea Blog Char - The Oolong Owl Amanda Wilson - Rambling Butterfly Thoughts Hobbes - The Half Dipper Georgia - Notes on Tea Best Oolong The following won for their excellence in sourcing an exceptional oolong for 2016. • [Win] Yunnan Sourcing recognized for Spring 2016 Chou Shi Dan Cong • Yunnan Sourcing recognized for Autumn 2016 Competition Grade Tie Guan Yin of Gande Village • Tea Urchin recognized for 2016 Snow Qing Xin • Taiwan Sourcing recognized for Spring 2016 Competition King of Jin Xuan Jade Oolong Best Tea Subscription This company won for their wide range of variety, education, and value of product given in monthly increments. [Win] Tea Box Express White2Tea Dachi Tea Co. Eco Cha Excellence in Innovation The winners creativeness brought a brand new light to the world of tea, and kept exploring new possibilities which became exceptional realities. This company not only did something thats new to the market, they keep motivating their audience in stunning ways. [Win] Bitter Leaf Teas - Recognized for their photography & customizable pottery Liquid Proust Teas - Recognized for their rum-barrel aged puer ‘Rummy Pu’ White2Tea - Recognized for their White-Black tea cake blend ‘Hot Brandy’ 2016 Internet Community Award Its an honor to award Char, aka Oolong Owl, the 2016 Internet Community Award. Oolong Owl took it upon herself to start Tea Chat, an IRC chat on Slack and has reached out to help bring more people together. Oolong Owl also takes it upon herself to get involved in the online tea community everywhere she goes, and does it with an open heart. 2016 National Community Award Crimson Lotus Tea is being awarded with the honorary 2016 National Community Award for excellence in bringing their local community together. Crimson Lotus Tea is ran by the couple Glen and Dawa, who make it their mission to bring exceptional teas to the market. Above all, they try their hardest to welcome as many people as possible with open arms, and do their best to make sure that every tea drinker they meet feels like they’re apart of a bigger family. Glen and Dawa really do set an example of what it means to run a company in 2016 - by being as positive and as friendly as one can be. They not only do this on an interpersonal level, they spread this nationally by the people that they reach… 2016 International Community Award It’s my pleasure to award Andrew of Liquid Proust Teas with the 2016 International Community Award. Andrew roams through out the tea community and personally reaches out to every one he comes across. Andrew not only invites you to a warm friendship, he personally takes it upon himself to make sure that you have the best tea and knowledge possible. Earlier this year, Andrew took it a step further by donating teas, for free, to those who were new to puer. Later, he started accepting donations to help make sure that everyone has a chance to try tea the right way. Andrew is known in the the community on an international level, and his passion and love for the community comes from a selfless place in his heart. People like Andrew help made 2016 an amazing year for tea, and has helped connect people from all over the world to the amazing world of tea… Best Aged Puer The following is being showcased for their excellence in releasing an exceptional aged puer. This puer was not only clean and in excellent condition, but carried exceptional flavor which was accessible for all tea drinkers. [Win] Crimson Lotus Tea - 2000 Old Warrior [Photos by Crimson Lotus Tea] Best Shou Puer The following won this award for their excellence in shou puer, and showcased the best in quantity, body, quality, and tasting profile. [Win] White2Tea recognized for 2015 Pretty Girls Whispering Pines Tea Company recognized for 2015 Lord of the Lakes Crimson Lotus Tea recognized for 2000 Old Warrior Yunnan Sourcing recognized for 2016 Yunnan Souring Green Mark [Photos by White2Tea] Best Sheng Puer The following winner is being recognized for their excellence in sheng puer, by bringing the best in quality, quantity, body, and tasting profile. This tea is a tier of excellence that is rarely brought forth into the market, and is one that definitely stood out above all the rest. [Win] Bitter Leaf Teas - WMD 2016 Spring Mansa White2Tea - 2016 Tea Don’t Lie White2Tea - 2016 Heart of the City Crimson Lotus Tea - 2016 Beneath an Emerald Sea Pu-Erh.Sk - 2016 Naka Crimson Lotus Tea - Slumbering Dragon [Photos by Bitter Leaf Teas] Best Puer Production 2016 The winner for this category is being recognized of their work in 2016. The winning company produced the best spring production of puer tea in 2016. They not only produced one incredible tea, they produced many incredible teas that were released in a single setting. [Win] Pu-Erh.Sk Crimson Lotus Teas Bitter Leaf Teas White2Tea The Essence of Tea Yunnan Sourcing [Photo by Pu-Erh.sk] Company of the Year All of the following companies are recognized for their excellent work in 2016. All of these tea companies worked tirelessly to bring you the best teas possible, and without their innovation, the tea community wouldn't be where it is today. These companies are shaping the future of tea as we know it. However, one company stood out just a bit taller than all of the rest. With their ingenious marketing and their delicious teas, it’s an honor to announce that the tea company of the year is… [Win] White2Tea Pu-Erh.Sk Yunnan Sourcing Crimson Lotus Tea What-Cha Taiwan Sourcing [Photo by White2Tea] Final Thoughts So there you have it! This has been an incredible year for tea, not only because of those who won, but also because of those who were nominated. Whenever you look back to the year 2016, try not to let the major events in the media suck you in a down spiral of negativity. Remember that the world of tea has brought us all together and has harmonized us all (unless you’re a 30 y/o Californian who claims to have created dragon tea balls, after only the minimal 5 years experience in tea, and take down other companies Instagram accounts in the process - you ass hat we still remember). I advise you all to sit back, take a deep breath, sip some tea, and let yourself get blissfully tea drunk… [Disclamer - I was not paid by any of the parties nominated or any of the parties that won. Or bribed. It would be nice to be bribed, as I can easily sell my soul for some good gushu. Or Lana Del Rey concert tickets]

Hello hello! Christmas is tomorrow, which means the only people working will be movie theatre workers and Chinese buffet employees. And while I'm at the movies and eating an endless line of mediocre ethnic food, a lot of you will be spending time with your family. I’m sure that many of you on holiday break from school, or work, and are forced to visit people out of obligation. Yes, I'm one of the fortunate ones who has family that either lives too far to visit, or are either six-feet under. In my free time this weekend, I’ll be getting trashed on all sorts of tea, and of course, complain about politics on a throwaway account on Reddit. While I get as tea drunk as I can, I might as well give White2Tea’s new ChocoBrick Raw Puer a try to see if it’ll make a spot in my Christmas line up. Opening I was amused opening the sheng puer, mainly because the box resembled a box of candy. The print and design on the box was fun to read, and without seeing any actual tea at this point, I was already entertained. When I opened the wrapper to this tea, I was further amused by the fact this iron brick had nine sections of tea, which appeared to be easy to break apart; News flash — it wasn't. After using my Hulk-like strength on this brick, I finally pulled out my pick to stab indents around one of the squares, which made it easier to break apart. Each of these nine individual squares weigh around nine grams each, so to use my ratio of one gram of tea per fifteen millimeters of water, I had to further break down this square of sheng puer. After breaking apart this square, I was able to scrape enough tea together to fit my parameters, and in return, created around three grams of tea dust. [Click on Image to Enlarge] Steeps 1 - 6 At the beginning of my session, I first picked up on light notes of grass with a floral undertone. As my steeps continued, a grass flavor came out from these floral notes and left the aftertaste of cream. Around the third and fourth infusion, this tea became notably sweeter, and the floral notes began warming my mouth like a pollinated lily growing wild in a pasture. However, all of this changed when the fire nation attacked. Heh, actually, remember when I earlier mentioned that I created a lot of tea dust while breaking apart this tea? Well, because of that, I ended up with a lot of tea fragments in my vessel. All of this means that at forty seconds, I had to repeat these infusions multiple times because everything was coming off strong as hell, and all at once. Steeps 7 - 12 Everything with Sheng Chocolate was still coming off punchy, with an ever so slight bitter undertone. After the seventh steep, the tea lost its punch and was able to increase my infusion times. Now with order being restored in my cup, this tea was giving me a velvet like texture that was coating my tongue. Along with the velvet like texture came with the notes of dry grass and, oddly enough, cat nip— Yes, cat nip. You probably think this is strange, right? Well I thought it was strange as well! Anyways, as my infusion times kept getting longer and longer, this tea started losing its overall profile. At the twelfth infusion I was ready to move on from this tea. Although I could have kept using this tea further on for a few more infusions, I decided that it was time to go ahead and draw my conclusion. Conclusion I think that the 2016 Chocobrick Raw Puer is an exceptional daily drinker, especially considering that its only $14.00 USD. Although I was easily amused at this tea’s presentation, I personally can’t imagine spending much more money on an iron brick because of how much of a bitch they are to pry apart. This tea came at a surprise because of how great the material used in this brick was. It was not only complex, it had excellent texture which is something that is uncommon for a tea at this price point in todays market. This is an excellent reflection at the kind of quality that White2Tea presents to their consumer base. However, I immediately take off points for this being an iron brick. Maybe its just me, but I get irritated when amazing material gets used in iron pressed teas, because it usually doesn’t present the material in the best way. Overall, I think this tea presents a fun experience for anyone who enjoys sheng puer, and you don’t need to be an expert tea drinker to have fun with it. So while you’re stuck in a room with family that you’re not happy being around, and while you’re around family members that you secretly wish would drop dead, I will be spending time drinking tea. I’ll be home in my pajamas, watching TV, eating Chinese food, and getting drunk on more than just tea, I can almost guarantee that Chocobrick Raw Puer will be apart of my Christmas line up… Rating - 8.0