Kneaded Incense – Japanese Nerikoh

 

Pine and Sandalwood Nerikoh - 03/2017

Raw Material for Incense - Collecting Red Pine Resin

This split log of red pine has been kept in storage for approx. 10 years. Since that time the aroma of the resin has become more concentrated developing deep spicy notes.

Tea Session - 1970s Fuzhuan Brick (People’s Unification Tea)

Making inroads into this hefty 1970s Fu brick (3kg) reveals a higher concentration of Golden Flowers (aka Jin Hua). This mold is responsible for giving Fu tea much of its unique character.

The Power of Natural Incense

 

Pine wood heated over charcoal. The aroma from the natural resin is sweet and full of complexity. Inhaling deeply awakens the senses and infuses you with life.

Visiting an Ancient Salt Mine

During man’s early years salt was a vital ingredient for survival. It meant food could be preserved and thus made available during lean times. This importance made salt highly prized and the salt trade brought immense riches to merchants who would coin the saying “salt was more valuable than gold”.

Making Puerh Tea an Asset in Your Life

The terms “assets” and “liabilities” are commonly used in association with managing financial wealth and investments. For the financial manager the focus is solely on cash flow. In the case of puerh, once you have incorporated tea into your life the benefits goes beyond financial wealth. As a puerh enthusiast and collector for well over a decade I believe that the values that can be gained from tea can have a deeper and more meaningful impact to life.

Natural Fermentation – Local Black Mushrooms (Hed Tup Tal)

In Thailand these mushrooms are locally known as Hed Tup Tal (aka เห็ดตับเต่า) and if there was to be a mushroom version of puerh tea this local delicacy would be hard to beat. Very much in line with ripe puerh tea, Hed Tup Tal possesses an intensely dark color that varies from brown to black and despite their strong appearances both have gentle and mild characteristics. The mushroom tastes mildly earthy with a deep mushroom flavor.