2020 Zheng Si Long Gedeng: Delicious!

 Ok.... this review is one that you’ve been waiting for!

Yes the good man that he is and proprietor of Tea Encounter, Tiago (aka Curigane), kindly gifted me most of the 2020 Zheng Si Long line he is offering!  Expect reviews of these in the next week or so.   At the end of this review we are going to compare this 2020 Zheng Si Long Gedeng ($262.64 for 400g cake or $0.66/g) to the 2019-2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng as well as the 2018 Essence of Tea.  You can see the evolution of sample package marketing at Tea Encounter above- beauty!  Sample marking is a big deal in the Western puerh scene but that’s probably a topic for a different post.... on to this delicious Gedeng...

Dry leaves have a smooth creamy tropical fruity sweetness.

First infusion has a creamy clear soft moss and slight wood taste.  The taste is really pure and the mouthfeel is tingling on the tongue.  There is a really active numbing tongue sensation.  Tropical fruits come out nicely on the aftertaste after a mild sticky stone and almost mint taste almost woody. The mouthfeeling is very sticky and active.

The second infusion has a quick tropical fruity sweet taste with a strong menthol onset that turns into a stone, almost woody, almost seaweed taste.  The taste is mainly this delicious creamy tropical fruit in a very active and full feeling mouthfeeling that is a bit tingling.  The aftertaste is someone woody but mainly an active creamy tropical banana fruitiness.  There is a very mild astringency and bitter that kind of tugs at the tongue. The tongue feels sticky from the effect.  I am starting to feel floaty and a bit high even this early in the session.

The third infusion has a strong stone with mild bitter astringency vegetal and tropical tastes.  There is some woody, almost minty-seaweed, and tropical fruit.  The mouthfeel and tongue coating is stimulating at first sticky then almost drying.  It has a pretty engaging feeling.  The thoat feeling is open with a saliva producing effect in the upper throat. There is a tropical fruity nuance then a chalky powdery aftertaste.  You can see the deeper yellow liquor of a less green, longer processed?, maocha in the picture.

The fourth infusion has a juicy creamy almost tropical and banana fruit taste with a mild bitter astringency over chalky powdery taste and feeling in the mouth.  The mouthfeel is sticky then turns a bit dry and pushes some saliva into the back of the mouth and the throat has a faint mint nuance.  There is an overall chalky stone and powdery feel and taste to this puerh which is interesting.  The finish is almost tropical fruits then turns to a chalky taste.  The stimulation of the mouth, throat and tongue are quite dynamic and changing.  The Qi has a stoned effect.  The body feels light and floaty.

The fifth has a slight caramel, and tropical banana sweetness onset with a mild quick moving bitterness that leaves a flat stone, some candy and tropical banana in the mouth.  There is a chalky and powdery finish along with the banana- it tastes slightly like banana flavoured Penicillin but not bitter.  This infusion is really powdery and stone tasting.  The tongue coating is sticky and the throat has a subtle stimulating in the top throat that almost hold saliva but not quite.  The aftertaste is more stone and banana taste.  Qi is relaxing and has a bit of shoulder release.

The sixth infusion has a thicker fruitier banana and Thai dragon fruit kind of taste to it.  There is a quick moving flat stone bitterness.  The nice part here is that there are more candy nuances that come out here.  An initial candy taste comes out, then it returns stronger on the breath as classic Juicy Fruit brand bubble gum.  The fruity and candy sweetness in this infusion explode and are the dominant tastes with some bitter stone in the base.  The mouthfeeling is a thicker chalkiness that is mainly on the back of the tongue.  The Qi is really relaxing and even has a relaxing effect on the body.  I sigh…

The seventh infusion has a sweet, rich, almost caramel, sweetness to it with some tropical sweetness underneath.  There is a mild stone flat bitterness underneath.  The mouthfeeling has a sticky thickness on the tongue and back of the mouth.  The Qi has a happy feeling to it.  Its relaxing on the body and mind and has a mild uplifting feeling.  Makes me sigh.

The eighth infusion has a watery caramel, creamy sweet almost tropical banana taste that is over a flat mild stone bitterness.  The mouthfeeling is chalky and full and the throat has an empty opening with more stimulation at the back of the mouth and top throat.  The sweet aftertaste is never that long however there is a chalky powdery taste that lingers minutes later and compliments the stone taste.  This infusion is still mainly sweet.  There is an obvious caramel sweetness that starts to develop in the last few infusions here and compliment the separate but less strong now tropical fruity nuances.

The ninth infusion has a mild flat stone bitterness with tropical fruits onset.  The tropical fruitiness is not as strong as the stone bitterness.  The mouthfeeling is more dry and tight chalky and the throat is more tugged from this.  The aftertaste is a powdery chalky not that sweet taste.  The Qi is mellow and relaxing on the body and mind.

The tenth infusion has a watery creamy sweet tropical nuance.  It kind of expands in the mouth.  It has a really nice sweet taste with almost no bitterness here.  Still a nice full chalky mouthfeeling and stimulation at the back of the tongue/mouth.  Relaxing, tension relieving Qi.  Feels good in the body.

11^th has a very sweet taste of expanding tropical nuance over a base of mineral stone.  The sweet tropical taste expands in the mouth and over the tongue.  It releases lots of saliva here and leads to a very creamy sweet tropical aftertaste.  The Qi is really relaxing and mellow and happy.  My body feels a mild floating.  The taste is real nice here.

12^th is a bland almost woody stone taste with a bit of fruity taste.  The mouthfeeling is chalky on the tongue.  The finish is bland stone.

13^th infusion I steep for 20 seconds… It gives off a fruity but bitter bland tasting infusion.  The mouthfeel remains unwaveringly chalky full on the tongue. 

The 14^th I do a 30 second steeping… and it gives off a bland bitter taste with edges of faint fruit…

I mug steep this one out..

And it gives off some stone, creamy sweet, tropical sweet, flat bitter taste.  The taste is still complex here and highlights most of the flavor profile throughout the session.  It also induces a nice deep focused calm.

 

Vs The 2019 Zheng Si Long Gedeng is more green processed than this 2020 and pours out more pale/greenish yellow than the 2020.  The 2019 has more woody notes and a bit more complexity to the taste and more bodyfeeling and Qi overall.  However, the 2020 has just the most brilliant sweetness and layering of sweet tastes and a fuller more juicy presentation.  The 2020 is the sweetest and maybe the best tasting of all the Zheng Si Long Gedeng offered at Tea Encounter.  The 2020 has an interesting mouthfeeling at the back of the throat and a bit of bitterness up front where the 2019 has more astringency and less bitter but less mouthfeeling presence.  The Qi… the Qi of the 2019 is noticeably stronger and is of different nature as the 2020.  The 2019 gives a much stronger high with a strong hypnotic feeling in the mind and has a stronger levitating bodyfeeling.  The 2020 on the other hand doesn’t offer much bodyfeeling and is more of a noticeable happy and tension and relaxing energy to it.  The Qi is still stronger than average and I quite liked it.  In this way the 2020 is very very different than the 2019.

Vs The 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng.  The 2018 Gedeng has a much denser and engaging fullness compared to both the 2019 and 2020.  The very full mouthfeeling has a way of presenting a condense and complicated and long taste that is somewhere between and a little bit the best of the overly sweet 2020 and the more woody and savory 2019.  The 2018 has a very distinct bodyfeeling and Qi sensation which pushes it definitely over the top of the 2020 and 2019.  The 2018 also has a deeper aftertaste and throat sensation.  However, the taste of the 2020 is sweeter and just tastier than the 2018.

Vs The 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng.  The 2017 has a very similar vibrant delicious taste as this 2020 but the 2017 lack a larger Qi experience.  This makes the 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng maybe the most similar to this 2020 in taste.   However, the 2017 lacks a bigger Qi feeling overall which this 2020 has much more of.  In Qi and feeling it is closer to the 2019.

PuerhBlog's Tasting Notes

Edit: Vs The 2018 Essence of Tea Gedeng Guoyoulin.  This one is just powerful Gedeng that lacks some of the nuances that some of the better the Zheng Si Long have.  The power is this one’s beauty which makes it quite nice at a category of the 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng.

Peace

2018 Essence of Tea Spring Gedeng Guoyoulin: Strong!

Shah8 has only given me two recommendations/ pieces of advice here on the blog. 

 

The first was to simply look to the Taiwanese Facebook auctions for standard factory drinkers.  When I came back to restock my stash I quickly filled up my quota of these before getting to the auctions.  There are problems with this approach when you don’t even have a personal Facebook page.  Besides that, I think I have enough drinkers that I need not fuss with the Facebook auctions.  Maybe one of these days…

The second was to sample this very puerh- the 2018 Essence of Tea Spring Gedeng Guoyoulin.  After my enthusiastic review of the 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng Shah8 recommended it in the comments… it turns out that these are very opposite gedeng that sell for almost the same price… but maybe I even like this 2018 Essence of Tea Gedeng Guoyoulin ($250.00 for 400g cake or $0.63/g)  better… maybe…

Dry leaves smell of dry woods and subtle sweet icing sugar candy.

First infusion has a strong presence of icing sugar cake, mild bitterness, slight evergreen forest, and evolving fruitiness with a long creamy floral finish.  The mouthfeeling is very full and powdery and the throat opens deep with a lingering pungency.  This is a very full first infusion!

The second infusion has a thick an engaging up front sour syrupy sweetness there is a mild bitterness then a thick fruity syrupy returning sweetness with a lingering almost candy taste over evergreen forest.  The mouthfeel is thick and chalky.  The aftertaste is very long and sweet syrup with a creamy almost cake candy nuance.  The flavours are really dense and thick and deep propelled by a mild bitterness and a thick oily coating and deep throat sensation.  Very thick full presentation.  I feel a mild tight chest sensation in the body.

The third infusion has an intense moderate bitterness that pushes metallic like stone taste over a syrupy fruity taste.  There is a strong chalky bitter bland presentation here with a chalky full mouthfeeling and deep throat.  It starts to illicit a hazy and stoned feeling in the body.

The fourth infusion has a thick dense syrupy fruity presentation with less bitterness.  There is a fresh evergreen forest base and some stone taste underneath but is mainly this thick syrupy sweetness.  It then stretches into a long dense juicy fruity sweet deep aftertaste which hold nicely over the chalky somewhat oily mouthfeeling and deep throat sensation.  There is a mild hypnotic feeling in the mind.

The fifth has a juicy peachy onset with a faint bitter and strong deep icing sugar returning sweetness.  There is a slight evergreen forest base even slight stone.  The aftertaste is long dense and sweet and does well over a thick mouthfeeling and deep throat which continues here. These infusions are much less bitter and have a long dense sweetness throughout.  There is a chalky fruity taste in the mouth even minutes later.  A mild and surprisingly comfortable feeling in the body.  The Qi has a mild hypnotic feeling to it.

The sixth infusion has a strong dense juicy syrup onset.  There is a bit of bitterness and woody forest taste underneath.  The mouthfeeling is less chalky and the throatfeeling is less deep and the aftertaste has more woodiness to it overall.  The aftertaste is less sweet and woodier.  A moderate relaxation starts to take hold along with mild hypnotic feeling. 

The seventh infusion has a fast bitter juicy fruity punch there is some floral notes that come and go throughout the session and are more noticeable in some infusions.  The density of taste is really nice there is wood which is becoming more noticeable as the session progresses.  There is less deep and cool pungent throat sensation which leaves the aftertaste much less than what it was at the beginning and more of a woody taste with some faint icing sugar notes.  Qi is a moderate strong gushu relaxing, very comfortable in the body slight hypnotic yet energizing.  A nice feeling.  The mouthfeel is a bit sandy dry and not really chalky.  This infusion looses a lot of pungent and evergreen forest nuance.

The eighth has that same dense syrupy onset with slight bitterness that pushes out very nice candy like sweetness now.  The bitterness really merges with the chalky and powdery sweetness.  This infusion has more of a powdery mouthfeeling and a bit deeper throat sensation than the last few infusions.  There is a mild head stuffiness developing.

The ninth spent 30seconds in the pot by accident… and pushes out a chalky stone like bitter layered into a syrupy fruity taste.  There is more evergreen forest layered in as well.  The finish is deep in the throat and almost powdery chalky and icing sugar aftertaste is less than woody.  A strong and dense tasting and feeling puerh with stronger relaxing but yet energizing Qi.  Slight hypnotic feeling.  Mild head feeling.

10^th is a 10 second steeping and pushes out apricot fruitiness with not much bitter and astringency left.  There is a bit of a sour bitter orange peeling bitterness here that is left in the aftertaste with slight woodiness.  This infusion doesn’t have much sweetness.

11^th at 20 sec is a sour bitter orange peeling taste slight woody base.  There is a nice icing sugar finish in the mouth over a slight sticky not dry mouthfeeling that is thinning a bit.  The throatfeel loses a bit of depth but still substantial enough to parlay icing surgery sweetness.  Heavy brow and relaxing feeling.  Heavy body sensation begins to take hold.

12^th 30sec gives off real nice apricot notes juicy and almost syrup with some evergreen forest mintiness still found in the base taste.  There is some flat bitterness but moves quickly to juicy fruity tastes that are a touch sour. 

13^th 40 sec infusion a thick almost creamy bitter very juicy syrupy fruity dense presentation.

I do a few longer overnight steepings… 

Overall the dense, strong mainly sweet fruity syrupy taste of this Gedeng is really top notch.  It almost resembles more like Yiwu generally than specifically Gedeng but it has some evergreen forest and stone and woody tastes in most of the infusions that are more typically Gedeng.  The mouthfeeling and throat feeling are top notch as well when they present but wane a bit through the session. The Qi in the mind is very nice balance of energizing and relaxing also a bit hypnotic.  The bodyfeeling is there but is not unusual or overwhelmeing.  The feeling overall is of comfort but yet powerful, relaxing yet energizing. 

Vs 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng.  These Gedeng are really both quite good but are really opposite in most all respects except price which makes the comparison super interesting.  I ended up consuming the 2018 Zheng Si Long the next day for comparison.  The 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng is loaded with a bunch of subtle complex dense nuances of flavor where the Essence of Tea Guoyoulin really runs you over with strong thick syrupy flavours that are not as complex but delicious in their own.  The Zheng Si Long has a deep arching full pungency and long nuanced aftertaste in a very present but not as standoffish mouth and throatfeeling.  The Essence of Tea has a very strong present mouth and throatfeeling.  The Zheng Si Long has a very unique and powerful bodyfeeling where the Essence of Tea is much weaker in this respect mainly offering a mindfeeling with less bodyfeeling.  The strong body feeling of the Zheng Si Long is what puts it over the top (well also the depth of subtle complexity of flavors) but otherwise I prefer the overly strong presentation of this Essence of Tea. 

Shah8's Tasting Notes

Peace

2019 Zheng Si Long Ge Deng: Comparing all the Zheng Si Long Ge Deng

This 2019 Zhang Si Long Ge Deng sample was kindly gifted to me for review (cake goes for $222.24 for 400g cake or $0.56/g).

Dry leaves smell of intense penetrating pungent deep forest odour with a lingering almost rose faint floral.

The first infusion starts with a slippery stone and watery onset.  There is slight suragy notes in there is a faint woodiness and barely tropical fruit in the distant aftertaste…. Hasn’t opened up yet.  The mouthfeel is silky and soft

The second infusion has a woody, almost pine forest taste nuance with slight floral suggestions.   All tastes are mutted still.   The mouthfeel remains silky and soft.  Eligant first infusions.

The third infusion has a woody slight forsty almost mineral onset the mouthfeel is lightly fuzzy and dry.  There is a faint floral lingering barely there in the breath.  The infusion is again very soft and elegant.  I can start to feel the Qi building softy behind the eyes.  My body feels just a touch relaxed here.

The fourth has a sweet floral onset that has a slight mineral nuance almost seaweed tasting underneath.  The mouthfeeling is silky and the throat doesn’t seem to be stimulated at all.  There is this almost creamy, kind of sweet almost soft floral elegant note that skirts throughout the profile.  The head starts feeling this hypnotic qi sensation, like a head wobble. 

The fifth starts with a melon fruit and foresty onset with slight honey taste underneath.  The mild taste is over a mild silky mouthfeeling which is becoming a bit astringent but mildly.  The throat seems to be mainly ignored.  The Qi in the head is slightly hypnotic.

The sixth starts with a sweetness that is almost creamy, kind of mineral and foresty with a distinct floral edge.  The throat receives enough astringency now to push the saliva and trap it in the mid-throat along with creamy sweet notes.  This infusion is filled with this delicious creamy sweet floral nuance.  The Qi in the head is pretty strongly hypnotic.  The Qi in mainly in the mind and the body feel light like it is levitating.

The seventh infusion has a fruity sweet almost nutty and persimmon and melon unique fruit taste for the onset there is foresty notes in there as well.  The mouthfeel is a moderate sticky/silky with faint astringency.  A melon sweetness emerges in the aftertaste.  The throat doesn’t preform like the last infusion but feels a bit more open than the early infusions.  A sweet floral fresh melon essence is through the profile.

The eighth onset is of creamy banana and slight tropical creamy fruits with a fotrest back taste.  The mouthfeeling is sticky and silky.  There are creamy fruity tastes faint in the aftertaste which also carries stone tastes with an almost floral edge.  The aftertaste is mainly rubbery.  The Qi is hypnotic in the mind and relaxing now.  The body feels a bit light.

The ninth infusion start off with a not that sweet sugary almost fruity sweetness with a stone/ mineral taste next to it.  There is a subtle fruity sweetness going on there as well.  The mouthfeeling is a mild/moderate silkiness.  The throat isn’t very stimulated.  There is a flat stone aftertaste with has subtle edges of sweet floral.

The 10^th starts off with a sweetness that is almost surgary but not that sweet which is supported with a stone mineral taste.  The Qi feels real nice, relaxing, hypnotic.  The aftertaste is a bit rubbery almost floral sweet.  The tastes of this puerh are not super strong or overly engaging but the Qi is really nice.  The weakest point is the throatfeeling which doesn engage the taste that much.

The 11^th infusion has a fruity juicy taste to it of melon, pear, it is almost spicy here with a nice foresty back taste.  The mouthfeel is more velvety and sticky in the infusion and the throat is felt this time.  A faint creamy sweet and slightly rubbery aftertaste occurs as the mind relaxes deeply and feels like the mind slows.

The 12^th infusion is faintly sweet like pear or melon but has a distinct stone base taste.  The aftertaste is flat, with a stone and rubbery taste.  The Qi is slightly hyponotic and for surely relaxing.

The 13^th infusion starts stone tasting and as a subtle floral pear tasting nusnace in the aftertaste.  The mouthfeeling is slightly sandy and thin.  The 14^th is even thinner with mainly a monotone stone taste with slight suggestions of floral and sweet over a sandy mouthfeeling.

15^th 30 seconds above flash pushes out more stone taste initially and not much for sweet.  There is a bit more stone but also slightly more barely floral.  The Qi is relaxing here.

16^th I add 60seconds to flash and it pushes out some fruit sweetnesses.  The nice part about a puerh that isn’t so bitter or astringent, at least while drinking young, is that you can push it with longer infusion times.  The taste is mainly fruity an almost peach but more Asian pear tasting sweetness with a background of stone.

The 17^th I go 90 seconds and it pushes fruit out in mineral taste but the fruit is faint in the aftertaste.

I put this one to as long infusion and it comes out mainly stone, mineral and bitter.

The next day I drink the 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng as a comparison and I can see the similarities in them but there are also more differences than similarities…

Pictured below is the 2018 on the left with the 2019 on the right.

In order of personal preference of the 2017-2019 Zheng Si Long Gedeng offered at Tea Encounter with price/ value in consideration:

2018 Zheng Si Long Ge Deng- $0.71/g- Sold Out- Big bodyfeel, strong condensed taste, Nice Qi in the head, Classic Gedeng Flavors, engaging bitter astringency with solid mouth and throatfeeling.  This one sold out fast worth much more than initial asking price.

2017 Zheng Si Long Ge Deng- $0.41/g- Sold Out/ Samples Available- This one is only better than the 2019 because it sold for significantly less, it has a very classic Gedeng profile and was super enjoyable to me.  It has a more mellow relaxing Qi.

2019 Zheng Si Long Ge Deng- $0.56/g- This 2019 is better than the 2017 if price isn't a consideration, I think.  It has some milder tight bodyfeel, but more of a moderate hypnotic Qi in the mind.  I like the Qi here.  Qi vaguely resembles the 2018.  Has a weaker throatfeeling in some infusions and the mouthfeel is more approachable but less strength in it.  The taste profile is less distinctly Gedeng but still some nice tastes in there.  Overall, another nice Gedeng.

2016 Zheng Si Long Ge Deng- $0.40/g- Have not sampled-

Overall, these are all nice Gedeng puerh for what they are.

Peace

Best of 2018: the 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng vs Fresh Maocha

The 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng was a pretty memorable Gedeng area puerh experience.  It tasted very characteristically Gedeng without costing a crazy amount.  Its taste and energy still in my head for that price.  This 2018 Zheng Si Long Gedeng goes for$282.85 for 400g cake or $0.71/g.  Tiago of Tea Encounter provided me both the fresh mocha and cake sample before I purchased the full cake...

Here is what the tasting notes of the very fresh maocha of the same material looked like:

Intense fruity, cherry, foresty deep, sweetness, cherrywoods in the dry leaves.  Mild icing sugar onset, slight cherry fruit and mild cooling floral, cherry candy sweet finish. Dominating deeper forest woody base under less obvious high notes throughout. Deeper mid- throat feeling. Gripping mouthfeeling felt in back mouth fuller mouth covering. Medium astringent/ bitter.  Opening in throat.  Mild Qi in back of neck/shoulders. Nearly warming.  Woody tastes dominate high notes faint on the breath/ returning sweetness. Turns into mainly woody tastes.

Dry leaves smell of the dry leaves have a very sweet fruit balanced with a very intense pungent evergreen and deep forest odour.  The odour is quite penetrating and fresh but also grounding.

First infusion tastes of initial taste of minty vegetal green and slight vegetal depth.  There is a mineral taste and almost a seaweed taste but mainly this strong minty base profile which is nicely invigorating.  There is a touch of sweetness in the first infusion initially then it returns slightly creamy but the pungent mint taste is throughout.

The second infusion has a mineral green vegetal onset.  There is mint across the profile, some mineral, stone taste, there is a subtle sweetness that emerges in the aftertaste.  The mouthfeeling is slightly slippery.  The pungent mint is throughout and lingers in the throat.  It has an invigorating taste.  The minty pungent taste in the aftertaste is long and cool.

The third infusion starts off minty and dry woody forest almost rock mineral.  The taste feels deep and layered with sweet and pungent mint and barely bitter wood forest and a savory rock mineral seawater type of nuance.  Shah8 describes this characer of Gedeng as halibut, and I think it’s a pretty good descriptor.  The mouthfeel is somewhere between slippery and sticky.  The throat is stimulated and feel sticky.  The Qi I feel it in the head and mind.  In the body a bit in the upper back and spine.  It’s starting to build in the body and open the spine.

The fourth infusion starts with a vibrant minty taste layered with mineral and wood and vegetal forest.  The presentation is really cohesive, not single notes floating on top of each other but rather like a thick dense package.  There is a creamy sweetness that is long on the breath.  The mouthfeel is a nice stimulating almost tingling feel with slippery and sticky and almost dry.  The mouthfeeling and taste work well together and result in a decent depth of flavours.

The fifth infusion start dense in the mouth with distinct minty character throughout along with dry wood, forest, mineral, seawater, and finishes in a long mild creamy sweetness.  The mouthfeeling is gripping and full.  There is sweetness in the minty taste then creamy sweetness in the aftertaste but mild bitter and savory notes in the body.  Qi starts to give me a racing alertness.

The sixth infusion starts woody, savory, mineral, almost talc rose.  The mouthfeel is really thickening up nicely- it offers the mouth nice stimulation here.  The flavours are real stuck together and feel real full with the stimulating mouthfeeling.  The throat feels sticky almost dry.  The intensity of the Qi sensation is almost overpowering.  The chest thumps, mind explodes, and body is in a state of profound lightness, escape, calm. 

The seventh infusion starts more minty with wood being secondary and savory undernith that.  The aftertaste is less creamy sweet and more dry woody bitter and mineral with barly sweetness.  The mouthfeel is slightly gripping here.  The Qi is as big as it gets.

The eighth infusion has a minty rock like initial taste more pungent her and dry woody gripping almost.  Very stimulating mouthfeeling.  Soft pungent mint in breath.  Overall, gripping woody, minty, mineral rock.  The

The ninth infusion has an almost juicy onset, distinct pungent, long creamy sweet aftertaste under wood.  The mouthfeel is very nice almost on the edge of too gripping but I really stuffed the pot with leaves.  The Qi is strong and invigorating, I can feel it in the spine.  The Qi has a certain stimulating intensity on the mind.  Space between should blades opens up wide.

I have to walk away from the tea table for a hour or so the Qi is such that it almost overtakes me and I step back.  I come back to a 10^th which is almost sour sweet, juicy and mildly minty, it has a juicy, fruity theme that comes out as mineral but also sweet and juicy, almost creamy with obvious vegetal nuance.

The 11^th is much the same with only mild mint and more distinct dry wood with mineral rock but a distinctly sweet nuance throughout.  The aftertaste is a long creamy sweetness.  The sweetness really arrived after the hour rest of the leaves.

The 12^th infusion starts almost bitter vegetal with mineral.  Less sweetness which shares room with very mild bitter vegetal wood and is creamy sweet.  There is a mild pungency throughout.  Nice full mouthfeel that holds in the creamy sweet finish.  Qi and Qi and Qi.

The 13^th is a touch sour, vegetal, a longer mineral taste here, slight seawater, halibut, long creamy sweetness.  Full slightly tight mouthfeeling.  The mouthfeeling of this tea and the dense flavor presentation are great.  Big, big Qi.

14^th infusion is more woody bitter vegetal and less sweet and nuanced minerality, sea tastes.  The minty quality just lingers in the back of the profile this late in the session.   Qi is strong, alerting, chest racing.  There is a warming qi and feeling in spine.

The 15^th is nice juicy wood fruit with stronger mineral.  16^th is much the same a bit more bitter woody mineral.  The subtle tastes of halibut and mint are much less here.

The 17^th and 18^th present with a slightly mineral taste and mild forest.  A nice creamy sweetness appears in the aftertaste.  Qi here is more spacey and alerting with a nice warmth and spinal release thing happening to me.

The 19^th continues to thin out- the flavor just is not as dense and is a light mineral, almost floral thing with a nice mild sweetness prevails.

The 20^th I push a bit with longer steeps and is nicely sweet and mineral and a bit woody bitter.  Its time to put this one into an overnight steeping. 

This tea has nice stamina, dense taste, nice stronger Qi and body sensation, stimulating mouthfeeling and throatfeeling.  This is another great Gedeng from Zheng Si Long.  Out of all the teas I sampled from 2017-2018 this puerh definitely has the strongest and most interesting body feeling sensation of opening between the shoulder blades and in the spine.  Warming body sensation as well. The whole package that this puerh offers with Qi and body feeling is really profound. Both times I’ve tired this Gedeng I have had to step away or be overwhelmed by the power.  I can highly recommend this for those who buy for the body sensation.  Overall, the Qi in here is really big and imparts a complex effect on the mind, chest, muscles, and spine.  Beautiful really.

Comparing this cake to the fresh maocha from a year ago…  well first it should be stated that I overlooked this one big time.  I think this might be to the voluminous maocha rendering me unable to pack the pot as good and less about this puerh’s progression.  What I found amazing was the body feeling and stronger Qi which I downplayed a bit in the more diluted fresh maocha.  I couldn’t even remember that the maocha had this feature until I looked back at the notes.  Boom!  There is was in the notes all along- but the strength wasn’t as obvious to me in these early underleafed notes!  The year aged cake had much more mintiness and pugentness to it but the overall taste of evergreen forest and mineral sweetness along with deeper mid throatfeeling and mouthfeeling remained more stable in both.

***It turns out that I purchased the last cake a month or so ago!  I really wanted to get this review out because there were some samples left but now it is completely sold out!  I was only privy to the same information on this tea as everyone else but after I purchased the last cake Tiago of Tea Encounter told me that this was the most popular Zheng Si Long and sold out in just months! This is not some limited run this is the full production selling out in a matter of months. I am fortunate to have purchased a big 400g cake of this and feel that its value is much much higher than this already high price.  A cake like this could easily sell for twice the price.  I have sampled a lot of tea since coming back a few years ago but none had a stronger Qi sensation as this puerh.

Peace

2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng & Thoughts On the Gedeng Producing Area

Well, I lost this 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng sample about a month ago.  Tiago, the owner of Tea Encounter, kindly included this in a recent order.  It goes for $164.32 for 400g cake or $0.41/g, but is currently sold out.  Tiago assured me that his stock gets regularly replenished so watched for its return if this review peaks your interest…

Dry leaves smell of mellow cherry fruits and of distant mountain dew, a rocky and almost forest like odour.

The first infusion has a mineral, rock-like taste, almost like literally eating a rock initially with a slippery almost sticky mouthfeeling.  There is a mild cooling and slight sugar and distant fruit.  The fruit element slowly expands in the mouth and shows subtleties of a more tropical fruit taste.  The mouthfeeling is reasonably long and still carries the mineral rock taste that is a touch forest like.

The second infusion has a very nice and full mouthfeel that is like a dense coating of slightly astringent paint over the tongue and mouth. The throat takes note and opens to such suggestions.  The mineral rock taste is there but along with distinct florals in the background as well as subtle fruits.  The feeling in the mouth and throat is really nice off the go here.  Subtle fruits and floral stretch long into the breath.

The third infusion has much of the second its mouthfeel is nice and strong, thick feeling liquor in the mouth the mineral, rock, mountain top, taste is distinct and dominating throughout.  The high notes linger in the back ground distant wildflowers and almost tropical fruit suggestions.

The fourth infusion has a nice full mineral, rock taste with edges of forest and opens up to a more distinct menthol taste with a hallow sugar finish with slight wildflower and honey.  The returning sweetness is a nice exaggeration of this with touches of tropical fruit.

The fifth and sixth were much the same the astringent up front mineral and forest base taste is interesting and a signature of Gedeng.  The sweetness is all on the back end in the form of almost buttery wildflowers and edges of clear tropical fruit tastes.

The seventh infusion has fruit tastes mix with forest.  The mineral, rock taste is less now and the fruity taste with a bit of slight astringency is found throughout.  The returning sweetness swells with a touch of cooling in the throat where tropical fruits appear. This infusion is much more sweet and fruity now.

The eighth and ninth is more mellow fruit with slight cooling and edges of astringency.  The fruity taste becomes more dominant now.  This tea is becoming very fruity and approachable with a distinct cooling aftertaste and long fruitiness.  The fruitiness is not that vibrant over powering thing, instead its a mellow almost foresty thing.  The qi of this tea is not ground breaking but soft and gentle you can feel a fluffiness in the head but nothing too much.  A touch relaxing, a touch alerting- nothing to strong, a mellow qi.

The tenth has a creaminess and sweetness to the fruity flavours which now dominate.  The eleventh still has a thicker viscus feeling, slightly astringent.

11, 12, 13, 14 it starts to weaken so I push harder but mainly enjoyable fruity tastes are pushed out.  Still a mild menthol, a mineral rock forest is mainly found in the aftertaste now still worthwhile and tasty.

There is lots to enjoy about this puerh mainly in its taste progression throughout the session.  There is interesting depth in this Gedeng due to its astringent mineral forest taste that at times is almost or barely bitter which helps to balance the interesting mild fruits and florals that wriggle themselves out especially later in the session where they dominate.  It offers a mild qi sensation, mellow.  Another thing that might interest people is its very characteristic Gedeng profile.  This might be worth a sample for those out there that want to get familiar with this famous (but not that common) classic six mountain puerh producing area.  The thing is, I have never really been a big fan of this area.  Either way, this is a great example even if just for education purposes.

Peace

 

Have You Ever Lost a Tea?

Well, I feel kinda bad about saying this but I lost a sample that was sent to me recently.  This has never happened to me before.  Sure, I have misplaced teas and I have found teas I forgot I even had to begin with…  But losing a tea… that’s new for me.  And the story is kind of fishy…

The last time I saw it was next to my gongfu set up at work in the staff lounge.  I had both the 2017Zheng Si Long Yibang and 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng next to each other and was deciding which of the two I was going to indulge in.  I was in the mood for something lighter so went Yibang.  The 2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng was RIGHT there next to my tea set up the whole time.  That is the last time I saw it.

The tea set up is right up there on the dining table and all my wonderful and trusted colleagues know that it is a sacred space, an island of Zen, smack dab in the middle of the fast pace rigors of work life.  But they wouldn’t have took it…

So I searched over and over all of the possibilities of where it could have been moved or maybe where I would have logically moved it in a moment of absent thought... But nowhere could it be found.

I wonder if one of my colleagues maybe tucked it into their lunch bags or boxes or what have you in a moment of cleaning up after eating lunch?  Or worst, thrown it in the garbage?

Anyways, I have to let it go.  It’s been over one week and still has not shown itself.  2017 Zheng Si Long Gedeng… the one that got away.

Peace   

2018 Mr. Zheng’s Selected Maocha

It has been a while since I sampled a decent number of puerh this fresh.  These five maocha samples were personally selected by Mr. Zheng of Zheng Si Long.  I can imagine him matter-of-factly rejecting hundreds of others as he did in that video.  It was passed on to me that they may or may not be the actual maocha used in his 2018 line up.  Nor do they represent the processing end product of the puerh he did chose to select.  Rather, they are used to give us an indication of the quality of these puerh producing areas this year and, for me, the skill and character to which Mr. Zheng selects for his puerh.

Thanks again to Tiago (aka Curigane) of Tea Encounter for sending this treat.  There is no time more natural then the peak of Summer to drink such young raw puerh.  I imagine the 2018 line up will be up for sale in a few weeks/ months.  I hope to also review the actual 2018 Zheng Si Long puerh samples when they arrive. But for now, let me present this teaser…

2018 Yibang Maocha

Pungent, fairly intense sweetness, honey, floral, rainforest smells, less high and deeper than some small leaf Yibang dry leaf. Icing sugar, floral finish, sweet, foresty, top sticky mouthfeeling, very yibang character, nice mouthfeel sticky mouth roof, soft flowing qi, subtle tropical fruit and floral finish, mild cooling, interesting faint fruit finish, subtle, can feel some head floating, qi behind eyes, Qi goes to the head. Clean. Slight sticky cheeks. Slight floating feeling. Release eye tension.  Vision sharpened.  Thoughts clear.  Very mild astringent.

2018 Ding Jia Zhai Maocha

Distinct fruity odour of cherry, fruity, creamy sweet, slight pungent noted dry leaves.  Round fruity aroma, woody mid-profile then sweet strawberries.  Tongue coating.  Distinct fruity cherry/ strawberry/ wood taste.  So Yiwu.  Lots of complex movement of tastes in the profile.  Lingering fruitiness. No bitterness. Spacy Qi.  But centering feeling.  Comfort in Stomach.  Full feel in mouth and mid throat, fine sandy slight squeaky feeling.  Soft cooling fruit sweetness returns.

2018 Xiang Chun Lin Maocha

New producing area for me.  Creamy sweet, slight vegetal-like intense berry fruity sweetness in the dry leaves.  Starts savory, seaweedy, rainforesty, long subtle berry fruit/creamy sweet finish.  Sticky full mouthfeel.  Berry taste pops nicely in very full sticky mouth.  Long sweet cooling berry aftertaste.  Feel qi on forehead and brow.  Slowness in the mind.  Heart noticeably beating now. Vigorous and relaxing very early in session.  Nice dizzying Qi.  Green tea-like, vegetal suggestions.  Reminds me of boarder tea.  Creamy sweet taste dominates with long cooling sweet menthol.  Slowly becomes softly astringent in mouth and mid-throat.  Fairly big Qi sensation in head- very relaxed but acuity strongly sharpened.

2018 Mang Zhi Maocha

Incense, foresty-mossy, slight sweet, savory, almost seaweed, distant floral dry leaves.  Very savory, seaweed-like, with monotone sweet note, thick slight drying mouth coating in front of mouth and lips, slight wood, slight briny.  Barely floral/ menthol finish. Floral finish builds and become more distinct.  Woody base taste, floral finish. Mild, Slow to build Qi.  Gripping mouthfeel.  Slow to develop taste but nice when it does.  Sweetness slowly builds up. Wanted to keep going.  Distinct chest knotting Qi under sternum.

2018 Ge Deng Maocha

Intense fruity, cherry, foresty deep, sweetness, cherrywoods in the dry leaves.  Mild icing sugar onset, slight cherry fruit and mild cooling floral, cherry candy sweet finish. Dominating deeper forest woody base under less obvious high notes throughout. Deeper mid- throat feeling. Gripping mouthfeeling felt in back mouth fuller mouth covering. Medium astringent/ bitter.  Opening in throat.  Mild Qi in back of neck/shoulders. Nearly warming.  Woody tastes dominate high notes faint on the breath/ returning sweetness. Turns into mainly woody tastes.

Peace