Understated in name only, this 1995 ripe puer is exceptionally clean. It emits a distinct rice fragrance (米香) from the second hot water hits it. The soup is a crisp, deep red colour, and smooth and sweet to the taste, with no trace of fermentation or storage. This tea (along with its ’98 cousin ) was sourced from a somewhat eccentric private collector we have known closely. Always entertaining to drink with, his stories tend to extend past the limits of plausibility and induce a reaction of “whatever”… Stories aside, the tea in the cup is one of the most enjoyable ripe puers we’ve had the pleasure of drinking. This tea originally was acquired as white paper-wrapped, 1kg bricks, but is sold in 100g and 15g (sample) amounts for the sake of accessibility and affordability. $0.58/gram
