Today I am drinking a gentle basic Pu'er tea that I would classify as a daily drinker. This is a Pu'er from White2Tea.com. Raw pu'er tea is one of my favorite to drink because it can be so complex and intense. The 2015 Little Walks offers a refreshing break from intensity of taste and qi stimulation. It is quite basic and pleasant to drink. I have had this tea for over 2 years and it has mellowed in taste quite a bit.
Leaves:
The tea comes compressed into a cake like many pu'er teas. They are easily separated.
Aroma
Dry : Sweet & Floral
The Dry leaves have a light aroma that is sweet, subtly fruity & floral.The aroma gently stimulates qi in the head and fizzles out over 20 seconds or so. There is also a slight stimulation in the center of chest around the Tanzhong point CV17.
Wet: As I have said in other tea sessions, one of my favorite moments while I am drinking tea is the aroma after the initial wash. The initial wash is to clean and “awaken” the tea. The wet leaf of this 2015 little walks stimulates qi in the head and ripples around towards the back of my ears and eyes. like the dry leaf aroma there is also a little puff of qi movement around in the center of the chest.
Taste
1st brew (200 Degree, 10 seconds)
This raw pu’er tea is very subtle, sweet, floral and a little fruity. The first brew is light and has a nice little floral after taste that lingers on the palate. As I finish the first cup I notice the same qi stimulation as in the wet leaf but more pronounced. It gently activates qi inside of and around the head. The qi stimulation is relaxing and soft feeling, there is a vibration around the temples and ST8 acu point. There is a very subtle vibration behind the eyes too. There is not a major directional push of energy as in the 2016 Harmony Gua. The qi is gently activated and then subsides.
2nd - 3rd Brew (200 Degree, 20 sec)
The second brew is definitely stronger than the first. When it comes to Raw Pu’er tea, I would say that it is still gentle. The dominant flavors are sweet & floral. There is a pleasant, slight bitterness that comes out in steep #2. The qi stimulation is the same as the first brew with a slightly more pronounced descending motion as the bitterness comes out.
Color
The color of the brew is a nice amber color. 2 years ago when I first got this pu’er cake the color of the liquor was bright yellow.
My Thoughts
The 2015 Little Walks from White2Tea is a gentle Raw pu’er tea. It is perfect for someone who doesn’t little the bitter flavor that many other pu’er teas have. The qi stimulation is also quite gentle. There is a simple & noticeable movement of qi in and around the head. It seems to subtly activate qi in the upper dantian, the Gallbladder and stomach meridians around the eyes and temples. There is also a nice fuzzy qi feeling in the chest while drinking this tea. Again, there is no major directional qi movement. This is a great tea if you don’t want a lot of stimulation. It lightly rouses the mind to be awake and the portals of perception (eyes, ears nose, tongue, feeling & clarity of thought) to be sharp. This would be an excellent daily drinker for someone who loves pu’er and doesn’t want to break the bank. The 2015 little walks is a great tea to drink while working, studying or with hanging friends & family. It’s gentleness is perfect for someone who doesn’t like intense teas.