I just wrote about pu'er-like teas from South East Asia in general, here, and this is another example, from the Kokang producer in Myanmar.
These teas are probably not identical, besides the shape, but I expect the difference in brewing from the shape difference to be the main story. They're both from the same producer, both from the same general area. The cake tea (which I already reviewed) was from last year, and these dragonballs may be too, but I missed reference to that.
I checked the prior review to see if I was describing this cake-pressed version in the same way, and it mentions a hint of dried fruit (interpretation) that I didn't seem to include here, with the tea mainly floral for flavor range in both. And quite sweet, with moderate, well-balanced bitterness; all that is relatively common. The idea was to see if the shape really made any difference, in addition to comparing the two versions for style that might not relate to that.
This shape presentation gets mixed reviews in online discussion. Some people like dragonballs--which aren't always called that--for the convenience of starting with a pre-measured amount. Others can't stand them, probably related to being accustomed to using their own carefully controlled brewing process, which getting tea pressed into a ball saturated throws off, since beyond dictating the amount could need to be infused for a few rounds before the tea in the middle even starts brewing. It's possible to tear them in two, or in parts, after a rinse and an infusion or two, and I usually don't wait however many infusions it would take for one to unfold on its own.
I'll focus on how this difference actually changes brewed tea character. That will probably require using longer infusion times for the ball, initially, because it will need to unfold, while the other loose version will infuse to a good level in 10 seconds or less, at proportions I prefer. To me this cake version amount relates to a standard proportion, not enough to crowd the gaiwan when infused, but not a lower proportion that will require extending brewing times. As to how many grams that is I could guess but I've just been eye-balling sheng for years, not weighing it, so it would only be a guess.
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a moderate length rinse didn't get far with the dragonball |
Review:
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a faster start than I expected for it opening up |
I went with a 10 second infusion the first time, not short, but standard enough. This dragonball probably won't be far along yet. I tried to tear it in two but it was too early, and only split off some leaves. That's not ideal because those leaves are probably more broken now, and brewing as loose tea while half the rest hasn't been exposed to hot water.
The loose version really is pleasant. There's a way above average sweetness present that works well with the moderate bitterness. Mostly floral tones dominate the flavor profile, which works. Mineral is also notable, but as an underlying aspect. Feel already has some fullness to it with aftertaste even more pronounced. The way that heavy sweetness, moderate bitterness, and flint-mineral combine and balance makes this more appealing than the set of individual aspects would be otherwise. It'll probably be even better in a year since it has intensity to spare and that floral range won't fade quickly, and swapping out some bitterness for warmer tones would probably work well. Or it's quite good now; I'm not implying that it isn't.
The dragonball version almost has to be from a quite different leaf source. All of those descriptions still work, sort of, but the aspects are present in a different form, with none of it matching directly. Mineral range takes on an almost medicinal quality, sweetness isn't as pronounced, or the floral range, or bitterness, for that matter, and a hint of smoke seems to be included. Natural smoke flavor, this seems, like the earthy/mineral trace that seems different in form than smoked teas tend to come across. If it was really smoked that could be pine smoke. A bit of pine flavor seems present, as strong as the floral aspect in the first, but here mixed with a different expression of floral range.
It is possible to pull this ball apart, not by splitting or tearing it, but just carefully pulling leave bunches apart. There's a small core that's not infused yet but after the next round this will about as saturated as the loose tea already is now. The leaves will have been infusing unevenly, across the rinse and first three rounds, but after that differences might level off quite a bit. I'll go ahead and give both around a 10 second infusion time again.
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the ball is coming apart already (right), with some assistance |
Second infusion:
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dragonball version slightly cloudy, but that was mostly cleared next round |
The dragonball tea is brewing slightly darker, with just a trace of cloudiness in the liquid (not necessarily a good sign, but nothing to be too concerned with; the effect will show up in the experienced aspects). It would've been possible to let this open on its own, to not untangle it, so that the process would have taken one or two infusions longer. I see opening faster as a best case, of sorts, but that might be a judgement call.
The cake pressed version is about the same, maybe evolving a bit more warmth and complexity. There's definitely bitterness present; someone trying to avoid that in sheng wouldn't care for this tea. To me it balances well, with the form and level quite pleasant. The overall effect is clean, bright, and intense; it's good. Again the bitterness, pronounced sweetness, light mineral (now slightly warmer), and floral tone balance really well. Most of that judgement is subjective, of course, that I like the mix based on my own preference.
Smoke picks up in the dragonball version. It's heavier in bitterness, with stronger and different mineral tone. The floral is almost not noticeable as a background aspect, with a green wood filling in more vegetal scope instead. This tea also kind of works but lighter brewing would do it justice, and it has probably just finished an initial wetting process that will enable it showing its true character better next round. Which can be a short one; the cake version is plenty intense enough for a 5 second infusion to work and this will be better lighter, it seems.
Third infusion:
The cake version isn't different, but it works well slightly lighter. I don't remember that this character evolved all that much over the rounds in the first review; maybe it won't. That's not such a bad thing, if it starts out positive. The flavor range might still be warming slightly, with the more intense sweetness and floral tone drawing back just a little.
The dragonball version is slightly clearer; cloudiness is hard to notice in this infusion. It's definitely darker. One might wonder why. It could be a year older tea version, not a 2018 but from the year prior. Or the leaves could have oxidized a little. Tea character can change a little during the processing steps, from what I've heard, but both of these were probably re-wetted (steamed) from a loose / maocha form to be made into these shapes. It could have taken longer to dry, or the heating process (pan frying) didn't remove quite as much moisture from the leaves initially, enabling them to dry slower. It could've just been a lot more humid out, which would make a change, with young sheng appearing this dark atypical but definitely not unheard of.
I just ran through all of this with Anna related to a Kinnari Tea sheng cake she passed on (compared to a second maocha version here). She confirmed that her impression matched my guess about the oxidation level in that (with the rest about moisture levels I just expressed a bit beyond what I really should be saying anything about, since I have exactly zero experience with processing tea):
the batch they took for that pressing was autumn tea. especially the stems were probably not cooked quite enough during shaqing, a common occurrence especially in autumn when the stems are thicker, so they turn red (oxidize) early on during maturation. it's a point that is often criticized by chinese buyers of lao tea, and one of the points we try to address during trainings: how to manage the moisture content in the leaves during shaqing so that the leaves can be cooked enough before becoming too dry.
So this could potentially also relate to this tea being an autumn version, although that's not indicated as likely by this input, just possible. In discussing it further Anna and I both agreed that a bit of oxidation present in sheng isn't necessarily a flaw, that a tea can be just as pleasant but slightly different in form with that, but that it probably does cost it a little in terms of aging potential. But even that would be more clear after letting the tea sit in storage for at least a dozen years, and probably clearer yet after 15.
Anna mentioned that other Laos teas are on the way, but I still have three versions I've not reviewed yet from her; I should get on that [editing note: the reviewed I already mentioned occurred the next day and was posted already, these are posted out of tasting order]. Two of the other tea versions she described are really novel (I'll get to explaining how), but it sounds like the best of the sheng they picked up in Laos might be the others. Best is all relative, of course; I really liked both that I tried already.
Back to this review. The dragonball version expresses a different, stronger form of bitterness. The other tea's bitterness is pronounced but lighter (not the level, the type), maybe a little "cleaner," although really no description probably does the distinction justice. Bitterness in this version is like biting a dandelion flower or stem; heavy, but also specific in form. It could just be an intensity issue and I'm adding bad judgement to isolating causation. I still like this tea but it's not as light, sweet, floral, and clean, and swapping out floral tone for green wood isn't positive. I don't like it as much. These would also seem to have pretty good aging potential because intensity is definitely there, and bitterness level could reduce a good bit and still balance.
Fourth infusion:
The cake version is consistent. The same aspects shift slightly in balance, giving the effect of not drinking exactly the same tea, which is nice, but it's not so different. Which is good; it's quite pleasant. Later editing note: towards later rounds in the first review I interpreted the flavor as moving from only floral to slightly into dried fruit range. It's easy to do a less complete review when trying two teas, especially when one is re-reviewed and used as a benchmark, versus that description being a primary goal.
The dragonball version cleans up a little and shifts some in flavor. The earlier aspects set is still present (bitterness, which overlaps with an unusual pronounced mineral tone, green wood, light supporting floral), developing a little towards tobacco. There's still a faint hint of smoke present; that works well with the tobacco range. The aspect range seemed to "clean up." The other tea is light in profile but intense in comparison; this is a little burlier. Some people probably would prefer this version for that difference. Put another way it comes across as less refined but it hits a little harder. I can't imagine that this is an autumn tea, but then what do I know.
Fifth infusion:
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the brewed liquid color evened up |
I'll have to let this tasting go after this, off to a water slide outing today. That would be more exciting if I was 5 or 10 years old myself but I do love seeing the kids go through all that.
Flavor range is shifting for the cake version; it's picking up some aromatic wood range now, along with warming in tone over the last couple of rounds. It's still pleasant, just not improved. The feel still has a nice thickness and it carries over to plenty of aftertaste.
It's odd how the smoke strengthened in this dragonball version, gradually over a few infusions. It seems possible that's just a natural flavor aspect, since if it was from smoke contact it should have also stood out initially, maybe even more then. The smoke along with tobacco earthiness (related to what was green wood earlier on) works well enough together. Floral is not noticeable at this point, but then it also wasn't so prominent in the cake version at this round.
I'm curious how these will unfold for one more round so I'll rush it, but both will probably be what I expect, just woodier. I'll let the infusion run well over 10 seconds, so not rush it in that sense, just make the tasting part quick.
Sixth infusion:
Brewed tea color evened up, with the cake version darkening over these rounds; I'm not sure what that means.
Wood really is picking up in the first version. You can still pick up floral but it's in the background now. For tasting like aromatic wood this still comes across as really bright and clean, and well balanced. It's those subtle context forms that make it so pleasant; it's sophisticated and light but intense, not heavy but full and slightly wet, not overly bitter but the form and level of bitterness works really well.
The other is more intense related to flavor, that set of green wood, tobacco, and mild smoke that has more effect on the overall impression than the light level might indicate it would. The feel has a touch of dryness to it, but decent fullness. Aftertaste is pleasant but less sweet than for the other tea, more green wood and that hint of dryness and smoke lingers. For someone on that page it would still work really well but for me the other cake version just works better.
Conclusions:
The teas are both nice. They share some similarities but are quite different. I really thought the form difference would affect how they brewed more than it did. The first couple of rounds unfolded differently but after that more differences seemed to stem from the tea itself, not so much from the shape.
It probably doesn't make sense to say a lot about value since I heard pricing related to these at a sales expo centered around wholesale pricing distribution, but for someone buying the tea at that range it would be a very good value (probably for both versions). To me these teas are in that medium level quality range that tends to be priced way above the earlier $40 or so cake norm now, from the recent past, more typically selling for $70 and up. Demand for versions from a local area factor into that, and I have no idea how that works out related to Myanmar teas in general. As far as character related to a judgement about them being pleasant and of good quality level these are nice, with the cake version probably slightly nicer. Or that could just be a judgement call based on personal preference, even though that's not how I see it.
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about people visiting from Germany and India; I should write a post about that |
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