2018 Outlier by Bitterleaf Teas

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…