Yunnan Pu Er Small Tuocha (Ripe Pu Er) from auraTeas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Pu-erh

Where to Buy:  auraTeas

Product Description:

At the time of writing this review, auraTeas had not yet added this tea to their website, so instead, I shall provide you with some information about auraTeas:

We at [auraTeas] strive to bring the best tea to the world, and we hope you could to join us. We insist to purchase from tea growers around the world to insure the quality, and show our respect to tea growers and masters. In tea, we live.

Taster’s Review:

OK… it’s no great secret that I’m just a little scared of Pu-erh.  I had some not so successful experiences with it in the past and the memories of those bad experiences taint my current day encounters with the tea.  Slowly, though, I find myself getting over those bad times, and the more I try it, the more I really enjoy Pu-erh!

This is a lovely Pu-erh from auraTeas.  It comes packaged in a cotton-y paper, and it’s shaped like a bowl (a Tuocha).  I placed the little Tuocha in my gaiwan, and added some near boiling water for 15 seconds just to awaken the leaves.  Then I began brewing with near boiling water – 30 seconds for the first infusion, and 45 for the next… and so on.

The aroma of the brewed liquor is a bit intense.  It is earthy, and it can be a little off-putting to those who don’t really like earthy flavors.  But, rest assured, that the flavor is not quite as earthy as the aroma would lead one to believe.  For those who might find the aroma off-putting, though, I would recommend not inhaling the aroma just before taking a sip (this is something I often do when sipping tea, as it usually enhances the experience).  I find that when I do this, the earthy tones of the tea are brought into focus.

The tea is exceptionally smooth.  One might think from the fragrance of the tea that it would taste a bit more rough or rugged, but, this is anything but!  It has a deep, profound sweetness to it that is quite enchanting.  There are some earthy notes to the taste, but they are not nearly as pronounced as they are in the aroma.

I love the caramel-y sweetness to this tea!  This is a Pu-erh I would recommend to anyone who is finding themselves curious about Pu-erh.  The tuocha makes it very easy to steep (and it’s kind of fun watching it steep too!) and you just may find that you really like Pu-erh.

I also recommend sipping this tea while enjoying a piece of chocolate (dark chocolate, if you please!) – it is a perfect match!  Then again, what doesn’t taste better with a little chocolate?