2006 Twelve Gentlemen Yiwu
Posted on 12 March 2009
After 10 minutes of heavy rain and wind this afternoon, a tranquil moment of overcast coolness, mixing memory and anticipation in a way that seemed the perfect setting for the 2006 Twelve Gentlemen Yiwu puer tea from
NadaCha. At £43, it is quite a bit more expensive than yesterday’s 2004 Jingmai, and definitely into the ‘expensive’ category.Brewed in: dahongpao clay pot
Dosage: >6g/120ml
Leaf: A mixture of different colours, with medium-large leaves; loose compression and little damage to leaves apparently; some evolution to the colour. Warmed dry leaves smell sweet, with a little tobacco.
25s: Pale apricot colour. Little aroma, but there is surely little tobacco or other herbiness. Disappointing as I was expecting quite a bit more intensity, especially at this dosage. Mouthfeel is harmonious but not particularly long. No bitterness. Some underlying structure perhaps. Clean, post-green aftertaste. Let’s wait and see the subsequent infusions.
30s: This is now a little more assertive but still far from overwhelming. Flavours are fruity (peach and apricot) but not very sweet; tobacco is very minor. Power is balanced and restrained. Still lacking in character I thought, but better. Good length now, some minerality.
60s: Deeper colour now. The aroma is really underwhelming, little happening beside a notional sugary fruit; I even took an aroma cup to double check. Bitterness now seems a bit lower than brewing #2. Good density and length, the substance here is not bad but definitely lacks in incisiveness and expression. Clearly little more can be coaxed out of this batch.
3m: Low flavour, medium length, balanced bitterness. But overall flavour is really quite enjoyable and this is one of top-scoring brewings.
5m: Similarly good impression. The balanced ku is especially noteworthy: it is present but has not dominated in any brewing. Little on the nose, a bit better on the palate, with notes of apple and apricot. Length is good, though perhaps less exceptional than brewing #1.
Another session in gaiwan (4g / 120ml): Remarkable purity and transparency (of both colour and taste) to the initial brewings.
Overall I rate this highly: an obviously noble sheng with balance, potential and some impressive leaf material, but slightly lacks in intensity and personality today to really justify its price tag.