A LONG time ago I shared some information about Liu Bao.

The dry leaves …

Were dark brown tight strips, that looked like small broken sticks. They had the aroma of a wet forest, like when you walk through it in a downpour- woody, earthy and mossy. You know those scary forests you see in the movies, with centuries old trees with their sprawling limbs guarding the darkness, that blot out the sunlight. Now just imagine that and that’s how the dry leaves smelt. I know I’m being a little melodramatic, but it just might give you a hint of how I feel about the tea.

In my cup…

Woody, earthy sensations were in my cup! It was a pretty color though – a nice deep burgundy.  The taste was much like the smell of the dry leaves. There were notes of wood accented by the faintest taste and aroma of aged leather and camphor. There was definitely a strong taste of earth as well. That earthiness was a little overwhelming for me.

Brewing…

I steeped the tea three times in a 75ml teapot with 5g leaf and boiling water. First, I gave it a 10 second rinse. My first steep was for 5 seconds, the second for 5 seconds and the third for 7 seconds and each one brought out more of the woodiness. There was several more “steeps” in the leaves, but I just couldn’t drink any more of the tea.

This tea is not for me, but others might enjoy it. The woody, earthy sensations, will be the first thing you will experience. I tasted wet wood, moss and bark… now we’re back in that scary, wet forest. It had a very thick, oily mouth feel, with a LONG -lasting tobacco, brassy finish. The overall taste was bold, dark and deep. I’m not sure I’d recommend this, but if you’re looking for something different, it’s definitely worth a try. I gave it a 1. But, perhaps that’s not fair – I not a fan of dark teas.

Rating Scale

All teas will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 for dislike and 5 as love:

1. Dislike (I didn’t like the tea and would not repurchase)
2. Passable (I didn’t dislike the tea, but I didn’t think it was very good)
3. Average (I didn’t find it good or bad and would drink it again)
4. Good (I liked it but it and may repurchase)
5. Love (I enjoyed it lot and would repurchase)

Next… Ming Dynasty