This is my first try of Pu-Erh. It's very strong. The aroma is similar to damp soil. The liquor is very dark. I think this tea is strong enough for milk or cream and sugar. I will be careful in my next selection of a Pu-Erh. If you enjoy a really bold cup of tea, this might be what you are looking for.

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Alex Zorach wrote: on December 6th, 2013

Before you form too much of an impression of Pu-erh, I recommend trying some raw (sheng or green) Pu-erh, as well as trying some from a company other than Upton. As much as I love Upton (it's probably still my favorite tea company) I don't think Pu-erh is one of their strengths.

I definitely felt that this and the other ripened Pu-erh's from Upton had an aroma similar to damp soil, or a damp basement.

People have told me that the place to buy Pu-erh is Yunnan Sourcing; I have yet to order from them though, and I think it might be better to find someone else who has ordered from them and sample some of their cakes before deciding what to buy. I've been served a lot of Pu-erh by others though, and I have formed a pretty strong conviction that I just don't like the ripened (shou) Pu-erh, with a few special cases. The ripened stuff, nearly all tastes similar to me, that damp soil / basement aroma, sometimes moldy, a very dark color, and a mild flavor. But the raw stuff, and a few interesting cases of aged ripened Pu-erh...it can be incredibly complex and really delightful--and exhibit none of that "damp soil" aroma. I also find that especially among "young sheng", i.e. raw Pu-erh that has been aged for a shorter period of time, it's more likely to have a fresh, crisp flavor, with more bitterness, and I like that greatly.

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