Gong Fu means âthe art of doing something wellâ. In the Chinese tea ceremony known as Gong Fu Cha, the implication is that time â effort â and dedication will produce a profound tea experience.
For this fall tasting series we will slowly imbibe two puerhs over an hour and experience an autumnal slow down through a duality of raw and ripe puerh tea â exemplifying a stark yang/yin contrast in flavors and characteristics.
2016 Fade Raw Puerh from W2TÂ
Fade is a raw puerh tea, pressed in 2016 using 2015 Huangpian [the largest leaf in Puer processing] material from Yiwu prefecture. Raw puerh traditionally denotes camellia sinensis var. assamica that is harvested, pile fermented, and pressed to age. Fade is characteristically soft â sweet â and thick, with a slight sour note that will give way to honey and smoothness with successive steeps. Fade also has a strong body feeling as it's re-steeped, though that varies from person to person.Â
Tasting notes: Floral, Green Grapes, Ocean Mist
2016 Trap Bird Ripe Puerh from W2TÂ
Trap Bird is a ripe puerh tea, pressed in 2016 with small grade leaf from Menghai. Ripe puerh traditionally denotes camellia sinensis var. assamica that is harvested, hyper-fermented with a proprietary culture, and pressed to age. Trap Bird is characteristically dark and earthy in a "post rain" sense, yet with a lighter body than most other ripe puerhs. Ripe puerh is often touted for its superpowers: contains antioxidants, aids in digestion, lowers blood sugar â and promotes weight loss. Tasting notes: Whiskey, Apricot, Earth... and a touch of dry wood