Organic Japanese Puerh from Butiki Teas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Puerh

Where to Buy:  Butiki Teas

Tea Description:

Looking for something completely different? Then we highly recommend giving this puerh a try. Our Organic Japanese Puerh originates from the Isokawa region of the Shizuoka prefecture in Japan. This unique tea was invented fairly recently and is made artificially with an organic malted brown rice culture and a combination of first and second flush harvest tea leaves. The leaves are pan fired and fermented for 3-4 days. After that period, a small amount of fresh leaves are added for 2 days. The aroma of the liquor has roasted chestnut notes with a lingering sweetness. This puerh is a strong smooth tea with a drying sweet after taste and buttery quality. Strong notes of roasted chestnuts can be detected. Cacao, tabaco, and brown rice notes are also present with a hint of fruitiness. This tea is somewhat coffee-like but not nearly as strong.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is wickedly good Puerh!

Now, I hope you know by now that I wouldn’t just say that if the puerh didn’t move me to say such a thing, because I’m very cautious when it comes to Puerh.  Even though I’ve had far more positive experiences with Puerh now than I’ve had bad experiences, those first few bad experiences with Puerh have managed to shape my future Puerh experiences with an initial feeling of dread when it comes to actually even trying a Puerh.  Although, I must admit, things are improving – there was a time I wouldn’t even consider ordering a Puerh, and I now actually DO order it!  Who’da thunk it?

Anyway, back to this Puerh … when I sniffed the dry leaf, I expected some of that Puerh earthiness … but there was none!  Actually, the dry leaf is fairly void of any strong aroma, it is really quite a mild scent that reminds me vaguely of the smell of dry, aged hardwood.  The brewed liquor also is quite scent-less, I pick up hints of tobacco and a toasted nut scent, but it’s a very distant smell.

So, I took my first sip … a very apprehensive sip.  And WOW!  It tastes like coffee.  Did I accidentally brew coffee beans instead of Puerh in my gaiwan?  I really hope not, because that could taint my gaiwan.  But seriously … this tastes like freshly roasted coffee but without that coffee bitterness… it’s kind of like a weakly brewed coffee that has been enhanced with a couple of spoons of sugar.  It’s got a sweet, caramel-y tone to it.  And it is also coffee taste that comes without the coffee jitters (and for me, without the coffee sickness that I feel a few hours later).

It has a rich, sweet taste, somewhat nutty, like roasted chestnuts, and with a slight earthiness but not the typical earthiness that usually comes with a Puerh, instead this earthiness is more like damp wood and dry tobacco, with a faint note of cocoa.  As I continue to sip, I notice a smoothness, slightly buttery, and it’s really quite delightful.

One of the very best Puerh teas I’ve tasted yet!  This one gets two enthusiastic thumbs up, and a big recommendation from me to anyone who has tasted Puerh and disliked it … this is one for you to try.  Also, if you were a coffee drinker and like me, have found that you need to steer clear of it, but do sometimes still miss the taste of the roasted bean, try this!!!  You’ll love it!