Tea Review: Sheng Tea 104 (Laos Tea)

Sheng Tea 104 from Ban Payasi
Laos Tea
Type: Puerh
Origin: Laos, Phongsaly Province, Ban Payasi Village
Product Description:  This was our first attempt to make Sheng (green)/Raw Pu-erh Tea. The technology we used is quite old and hasn’t been changed for centuries. Collected tea leaves are roasted in a wok pan, and rolled on bamboo trays then dried under the sun, spread in thin layers on the ground.

Sheng/Raw Pu-erh tea can be stored and matures in flavor over time. The storing quality is related to the fact that after sun-drying, the fermentation process in tea leaves continues in slow motion, creating a totally unique product called Aged Pu-erh tea. However, even if not aged at all, the taste of freshly made Sheng tea is very flavored and aromatic.

Temperature: 195° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is light, sweet, and peppery.

The golden infusion has a sweet green aroma and taste reminding me of green beans fresh from the vine, with light earthy notes.

This sheng puerh reminds me of early-summer with green vine notes throughout, a hint of sun-warmed earth, and light floral notes developing by the third infusion.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Sheng Tea 102 (Laos Tea)

Sheng Tea 102 (2012)
Laos Tea
Type: Puerh
Origin: Laos, Phongsaly Province, Ban Payasi Village
Product Description:  We are excited about a signature tea from the Laotian farmer, Insay, who lives in Ban Payasi village. This season he made Sheng tea for us. Leaves were collected from the tea garden in the Ban Payasi area, mostly by his wife, son and nephew. One of them would bring the raw leaves to the hut on the hill where Insay set up everything for making tea. He roasts tea and his wife rolls and shapes it. Then the leaves are spread on cloth on the ground to sun-dry. In a few hours tea is ready. It seems like a very simple process but it is not at all.

His tea is definitely special, not like the usual Sheng Pu-erh tea or any other teas made in that village. It has a unique character with some sweetness and smokiness and a strong distinguished finish. Even a novice to tea culture would recognize that this tea as a delicious one!

Temperature: 202° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaf aroma is spicy, sweet, and woody.

The infusion is golden with a smoky, earthy, mossy aroma.  The taste is earthy, woody, and mildly astringent with a smoky pine finish.

This puerh yields a lot of flavor and aroma throughout repeated steepings and I will admit to burning through my sample rather quickly.  Multiple infusions continue to produce full flavored, aromatic results and the smoky notes were especially enjoyable.  I didn't notice a drastic difference when steeping at 195° F or at 202° F and I'm looking forward to tasting the results at a lower temperature.

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.

Tea Review: Classic Red Tea 108 (Laos Tea)

Classic Red Tea (108)

Laos Tea
Type:  Black
Origin:  Laos, Phongsali Province
Product Description:  The raw material for this tea was collected from the tea plantations north and west of Phongsali. Although we produced a large quantity of it, the selection of tea leaves was done very carefully, according to the highest quality standards. We used a classic technology to make this Tea, so named it Classic Red Tea.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of sweet oats and dates.

The red amber infusion has a lightly citrus aroma with notes of fresh-baked brown bread and a hint of brown sugar.   The taste is lightly tangy and almost mouth-watering with notes of dark brown bread and a long finish.

This tea continued to provide full flavor and aroma with low astringency throughout multiple steepings.  I'm looking forward to discovering changes in nuance at a slightly lower temperatures.  I had difficulty describing the flavor I was picking up until I remembered the almost rich and tangy, whole grain and molasses taste of a fresh-from-the-oven slice of dark brown bread.  

This tea was provided as a free sample without guarantee of a review.