WineLovers Discussion Group

Once again I've been exploring the offerings of a lovely tea shop that opened up fairly recently in Helsinki. Expect a deluge of TTNs

Putharyhora FFFTGFOP1 Dooars 3,90€/40 grams

A lovely black tea. It is somewhere between lightness and fragrance of Darjeeling and the power of Assam and has a hauntingly beautiful scent: floral, verging on honeyed yet with all the savouriness of black tea. Thought I brewed it very strong (at just under boiling point for 5 mins with lots of leaves - I love strong, tannic tea) it never became harsh. It is like a fine youngish Bordeaux: lots of finesse, lots of tannins but they are soft, and a fine body savoury and fruity at the same time. A lovely tea. And aromatic enough that all HC fans of green tea would surely enjoy it also!

Emperor Pu Erh Vintage 2000 4€/25 grams

Pu Erh is an oddity in that, like some wines, it imroves with age. This six year old was lovely stuff: an intensely vegetal scent of damp earth - all lovers of funky wines must try out Pu Erh! The palate is full bodied like a Viognier with little obvious structure but is cohesive and balanced and the lovely earthiness is again in full stride! I love this stuff, but I don't think Pu Erh will ever be a popular tea - it is just a bit too perverse I guess, just like Musar

-O-

Otto Nieminen wrote:an intensely vegetal scent of damp earth - all lovers of funky wines must try out Pu Erh! The palate is full bodied like a Viognier with little obvious structure but is cohesive and balanced and the lovely earthiness is again in full stride! I love this stuff, but I don't think Pu Erh will ever be a popular tea - it is just a bit too perverse I guess, just like Musar

-O-

That's the 1st tea I've seen named after the typical reaction to it

I look forward to more TTN's!

regards

Ian

Ian Sutton wrote:That's the 1st tea I've seen named after the typical reaction to it

I look forward to more TTN's!

regards

Ian

Ha ha! Very funny! Pu Erh rocks - it's like a fine Burgundy: it smells of shite.

Otto, to me Pu Erh tea smells like a mixture of campfire and bog. I actually like it.

Ever since I stopped drinking coffee, I have given up black tea, but have become an ardent fan of white and green teas and occasionally Oolong. And I no longer buy that heretical bagged tea dust anymore.