We’re typically fairly picky when it comes to infused teas, as a proper balance is crucial, not to mention good quality base tea. This tea manages to accomplish that quite well though, offering a light and delightful sticky rice fragrance on top of a clean and rich shou puer base. The flavour is not necessarily the most complex of any tea, but fragrance is still quite enjoyable and the smooth qualities of the shou make this an excellent winter warmer. The sticky rice fragrance is accomplished by infusing the tea with sticky rice leaf (糯米叶), which is actually completely unrelated to rice. However, this plant emits a sticky rice fragrance once dried, making it suitable for infusing teas. This fragrance offers a particular sense of comfort and warmth for Chinese tea drinkers, as it brings back memories of a time before rice cookers, when rice would be cooked to a soupy consistency. This fragrance can also be naturally found in good quality aged shou puer, which develops a desirable rice taste in the soup as it ages. When it comes to brewing these coins, they are quite easy, opening up without a struggle or the need for extra rinses. $0.09-0.13/gram Picking/Fermentation Period: 2021 Region: Bangwei, Yunnan
