Thursday, February 1, 2024

Tea Beyond the Border – Yiwu Impression 2

  
An old style production
 
This will come as a pleasant surprise to those who have requested I add a younger puerh tea to my listing. I have shied away from offering young productions for the reason that I am not a fan of the direction puerh tea is heading and it doesn’t feel right to offer a tea I am not personally enjoying. Although the Yiwu Impression 2 is not a young tea, this 2011 production is my earliest. It is an old style production that stands out amongst the countless modern productions of today. The presence of the raw character in the leaf can still be detected, not having been overwhelmed under high heat processing that is aimed at smoothing over the character of the tea and ramping up the aromatics. It is for this reason that many modern productions possess oolongish traits. Puerh tea is a living tea that relies on an active microbiology, excessive heat exposure is a detriment that compromises the ageing potential of the tea. Sipping this tea the brew feels soft with a substantial mouthfeel. A mild sweetness entices the taste buds. My mind instantly thinks of Yiwu. The darkening yellow spectrum of flavors open up to stone fruits, wild honey, rock sugar with hints of minerality alongside a resinous quality. There is a touch of bitterness that is complimentary. Pushing the tea the extra strength brings about greater depth, highlighting a dark layer of age character that has developed under semi-age. The Yiwu Impression 2 punches well above its weight in price, moreover it is heartening to find the old style of puerh tea in a 2011 production.
 

US175 per teacake
Contact me at varatphong@yahoo.com

 
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An authentic flavor
 
The meaning behind the name “Tea Beyond the Border - Yiwu Impression”
It should be noted that strictly speaking this teacake cannot be officially labeled as being from Yiwu. The Yiwu region has a defined geographical boundary and a puerh tea that is labeled as being from Yiwu must be harvested from within the confines of its official border. However there remains many tea tree and resources that reside outside and beyond the border, some only but a few kilometers away in proximity. These unrecognized resources as a consequence are subjected to less favorable market conditions and it is for this reason that this teacake is priced very modestly. As a result these unassuming tea leaves offer great value for puerh enthusiasts looking for economical teas to fit into their daily drinking routine.