A contemporary interpretation of an ancient art.
This 2019 tablet is crafted with Bulang Shan tea, designed to appeal to a younger generation. The tablet tea is pressed in the shape of a record, with conveniently marked ’slices’ that make it easy to break the right portion for a 100ml - 120ml gaiwan. The leaves come from old trees in Bulang, and are carefully processed in DC Tea’s state of the art facility in Menghai. If you are discovering the magic of Pu Er… check this out!
Here's a look at what to expect while drinking this tea:
1st Steep: colour of light drip coffee; woody sweetness, reminiscent of chaga and raisins.
2nd Steep: now it looks like a darker pourover coffee, made from medium roast beans. The flavour is more intense, with sweet and just slightly tart notes, reminiscent of prunes.
3rd Steep: almost identical colour. Prune remains. Alkaline notes appear in the centre of your tongue. Fermented tea is opening up. Chase with hot water. Cacao notes appear in the mouth. Sweetness. Leather is not present in the brew, but in the fair cup.
4th Steep: the alkaline note now gives way to more typical cooked pu er flavours. On top of the woody, chaga notes, wet hay and forest underbrush appear.
5th Steep: the tablet finally disintegrates; small, carefully picked and rolled leaves are now visible. The tea's sweetness continues. Prunes come out again. The centre of the mouth feels dryer; the back of the palate is watering. Molasses mouthfeel.
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8th Steep: the tea starts to look like a northern Chinese black tea; the infusion is crimson in colour, with juicy fruit notes.
ABOUT DC TEA (巅茶) & LU ZHI MING
Mr. Lu Zhi Ming is the founder and leader at DC Tea, Guangzhou and Menghai. He spends over six months per year in Yunnan, developing close relationships with the farmers in remote mountain villages. He personally sources all of the tea leaves for DC Tea. (ie, harvests and pan-fires) Some of the most select batches are handcrafted by Mr. Ming. DC has won multiple awards all over China and Mr. Ming has one of the best-trained palates we've ever encountered.