Nannou, He Kai, and Mengsong

I'm doing a bit of a Tasting of all my young puerh, if for no other reason try and make sense of it. I have most the Zhi Ming du line a long with a few other things thrown in here and there. So the first two parts are going to focus on Single area's. While one post will be dedicated to the 3 Dayi Menghai cakes I have.

I am not going to post detailed notes, or probably posts many pictures if any.

The Essence of Tea (Nadacha) 2009 Nannou Old Plantation

What actually started this out is Hobbes over at the Half dipper posted a review today the 28th on a Nannou cake he had acquired. SoI felt quite the urge to try this cake again, as viewing it you can tell I have spent not nearly enough time with it for its quality. After two sessions averaging 7 infusions each, my stomach is starting to protest slightly.

This is going to be my first post published ahead. As I realized I tend to waver on and off between a lot of free time for tea and writing, and hardly any, I am going to try and mediate that by staggering my posts. I hope to aim for a post every couple of days.



The alluded to Namby Pamby nature of Nannou is apparent in this cake especially in the aroma. But it is oh so intoxicating.


Zhi Ming Du He Kai

The idea for the Groupings of these tea's came from Bears Bears Bears over at Bears blog, who definitely knows much more about puerh than I do, and has an idea of how teas should be grouped/ what they really are.

I am actually quite amazed at how close this is to the Nannou, same light and spring/summery smell, though a hint more grass. The flavor is a bit harsher and seemingly less complex, but still enjoyable.

Probably my favorite thing about Puerh is even the 'subtle' ones are far from subtle. Puerh is the tea that will demand your attention even if you are not paying close attention to it.

Zhi Ming Du Mengsong

This tea is my last today, and while I feel I have a better stomach for young sheng than some, I definitely am not one of those people that can drink it all day.

This tea is much more floral tasting, rather round and soft taste, but Bears really knows what he is doing when he told me to group these three cakes together.



General thoughts....

Each taste was unique, but I definitely do not know nearly enough to pick them out blind. Tim always talks about a Granny face powder for Nannou cakes, and I have been trained to look for that in puerh, as I think I understand what he is referring to.

That being said the Nannou seemed to be a perfect balance of other flavors and the powder. The He Kai while harsher was also riddled with the powder flavor almost exceedingly much. And the Mengsong had basically no sign of it.