Douji Dadou and Shangdou 50 gram bricks

That is a picture of the Douji Shangdou brick, but the two look nearly identical, the only difference is the Chinese characters imprinted at the very bottom of the brick.

I've started taking a very relaxed form as I'm starting to say that tea brewing is an art and not a science. I think the most you really need besides the brewing vessels, is a thermometer for teas which need less than boiling. At least with teas that require short short steeps. I will probably continue to time my greens especially Japanese greens as the difference of 15 seconds can really completely change the tea.

So onto the Dadou.

Spices and tobacco prevalent in the nose with hints of citrus and sweetness. All of these came out in the palate with the sweetness manifesting itself in roasted marsh mellow. The finish has a lingering tobacco with a hint of huigan a lingering sweetness sometimes found in puerh.

The Shangdou:

Very different much more mild, though a lot less broken leaves in this one. The nose was of butter and spices, with little to no hints of tobacco. The palate reminiscent of butter and walnuts, with the slightest hint of tobacco. The finish was that of a pound cake, and I might just say this has had the most pronounced huigan yet.

All in all very enjoyable.

On Teachat I inquired about these bricks. The names basically reflect a difference in grade. the Dadou is a "Great" grade, and the Shangdou is a "Superior" grade, which will just have to be taken with a grain of salt as in which is supposed to actually be better.



Edit Feb 21st 2010




On the up side this brick was easier to break apart than I ever remember it being before, and I haven't touched any of these for at least 8 months.

I seemed to have rather liked this one when I first tried it, lets see if the bit more experience I have had with Puerh lets me judge this any different.

I still have to say this smells quite like butter and spices, and perhaps a bit of a deeper nuttier note arose. This is one of those times you wish you could have perfectly preserved a memory, or even some of the tea to brew again. Its taste is sharp, but lacks the vibrancy I like from young sheng. I do not know if this just never had it or, if this is what it faded into.

But that isn't to say I am not enjoying it, if anything I find the aroma impeccable, fresh fruity, and full of spices, while the taste is run of the mill, not bad, but nothing to write home about.

I still enjoy this tea, and think its actually comming along rather nicely.