Tea Voyager

Tag: gong fu cha

  • Ancient Tree Black Rain

    A Swampy Baptism of Light

    Greetings Tea Voyagers!

    Have you ever been baptized in swamp light? If not, drinking this tea is the perfect opportunity to experience such a thing.

    I ordered this Puerh from West China Tea.

    This is part of their description:

    Ancient Tree Black Rain Shu Pu’er Tea Coin (古樹熟幣, Gǔ Shù Shú Bì, “Ancient Tree Ripened Tea Coin”) – This tea is somewhat unique in being a Shu (ripe/cooked/fermented) Pu’er made from Gu Shu (ancient tree) material. Pu’er tea is made from the Big Leaf breed of tea plants native to Yunnan province. These tea plants grow into trees as opposed to bushes and can live for centuries. Tea harvested from ancient trees is especially prized among Pu’er aficionados for its powerful Qi. 

    (sidenote: they are currently not selling this tea in loose leaf, but only in coin or “toucha” form. So I pulled the description from this page.)

    This tea comes with a bit of brown dust on it. All part of the charm!

    As the description from West China Tea mentions, it does indeed have powerful Qi.

    In my opinion, this is the most impressive element of Ancient Tree Black Rain.

    The Qi is something like receiving the darshan of a great great grandmother tree.

    It’s a sacred feeling— ethereal, yet rooted.

    Fresh, brand new, yet older than time.

    Benevolently felt in the crown of the head.

    A swampy baptism of light.

    Why do I say swampy?

    Well, the fragrance smells something like a damp pile of leaves. It’s musky. A bit like decaying bark. A bit like a swamp.

    And the flavor reminds me of moss in a wet paper bag with maybe a dried peach. Or like licking a wooden wagon that’s been left out in the rain.

    It’s hard to describe, and not exactly my favorite flavor profile for a Puerh tea.

    I don’t dislike it, but I couldn’t ever see myself longing for it.

    The Qi, on the other hand, is so lovely I feel it is worth a try if you are curious about Ancient Tree leaves.

    Here is a gallery of the steep breakdown: steeps 1-6.

    Not bad! Stays a beautiful, rich mahogany color for at least 6 steeps.

    Anyway, in the spirit of Spirit…

    Here is a poem from Bai Sao to ruminate upon. He was an old Chinese monk from the Tang dynasty, living entirely on his earnings from brewing tea from a humble tea cart.

    Blessings upon you! Until next time 🙏🏼

  • The Mini Toucha

    A Travel-Ready Bliss Bomb

    Hey Tea Explorers,

    Have you ever tried a toucha? These little buttons of bliss are perfect companions for roadtrips, picnics, garden parties, faraway journeys, and inter-dimensional travel.

    This one in particular is a long time friend that I encountered years ago at the Hidden Peak teahouse in Santa Cruz.

    I’ll admit it…I love to throw these guys in a thermos. And let it steep for at least a half hour.

    There may be tea wizards who might chide me for this, but I simply don’t care.

    This toucha responds very well to thermos brewing. It gets dark, and thick, and incredibly rich and nutty.

    True Facts: I have never met anyone who doesn’t like mini-toucha-thermos-tea. It’s simply never happened.

    This thermos is 16oz, which is a surprisingly perfect ratio for these tiny joy nuggets.

    *pro tip: leave about two inches of concentrated tea on the bottom of thermos, let sit for as long as you want, then keep adding water to get a deep steep every time.

    Here it is Gong Fu style…

    Despite how small the toucha is, the flavor delivery is full on.

    The fragrance is a bit like the sultry smell of someone’s mouth after having eaten a handful of dates, almonds, and dried figs. Then washed it down with tree sap.

    The flavor is mellow, balanced, smooth–like a nutty bouquet of earthy groundedness.

    The Toucha does NOT over-caffeinate. It is quite gentle.

    The Qi, in my opinion, is like how you might feel after taking the best nap of your life. A little soft and gentle but with full rejuvenation carrying you onward.

    2nd Steep: darkness within darkness! So luscious.

    As you can see, the mini toucha is powerful and not to be underestimated.

    3rd
    4th
    5th

    Darkness forever! This tea obviously doesn’t get tired of giving.

    So if you want a generous, dark, nutty, and transportable magic pebble of compressed puerh, try this baby out.

    Also, here is a sweet poem by Ryokan, a wise old hermit zen poet, to send you off.

  • Greetings Tea Voyagers,

    Welcome to your new exploratorium. I am here as a friend and fellow traveler into the infinite realms of Tea. It’s amazing to be here.

    My intention is to share about the teas that enter my orbit and to give you very honest, strange, and candid reviews based on my experience. I hold no authority in the Tea-verse. I am simply a traveler who wishes to revel in the joys of exploration and to share whatever fun things I find along the way.

    The greatest thing about any world you enter is how it continues to reveal its innumerable secrets. The deeper you go, the more you realize you don’t know.

    Tea is like this.

    May we venture into the unknown together.