I'm rewriting this review because I just gave the Dog Year tea another try and I was happier with it this time. Months ago, it was too smoky and unpalatable. It tasted nothing like the Monkey Year tea. But, after time, it's evolved. I had a sample and for part of the past few months, it was in the sample pouch. I eventually took it out and wrapped it up in a paper towel, so it was exposed to air, but protected from dust and debris. I then put it in a tea chest I had (to limit the air flow, but not get rid of it all together). After some time like this, a more fruity/tangy note came out. It went back and forth between this and a more smoky/meaty profile. But, it seems to be moving in a fruity/tangy direction, which I actually prefer. I have another young raw pu-erh that I just got, that is Haiwan brand, which seems to be going through a similar taste trend. That one is just a few years older (2016), so it's at a different stage in the progression. The one disappointment I have with this Dog Year tea is that it doesn't have much mouthfeel. I admit, in an attempt to get more used to raw young pu-erh, I think I've been spoiled by the likes of TeaVivre's Fengqing DaoHua Xiang and Fengqing Ancient Tree Spring Chun Jian, which both have more of a mouthfeel than this. I hope that it develops one over time, but it's very thin right now. I'm hoping to have the chance to raise the rating again when trying this in a half year or so.

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