Reviews
I’ve spent a few sessions
"I’ve spent a few sessions with this 2003 Yi Wu "Chun Zheng Pin" now, and while it is a perfectly "clean" example of an aged sheng, it doesn't quite hit the heights I was hoping for. Tasting Notes The profile is dominated by a very specific trio of flavors: • Waxy/Honey: There is a distinct waxiness in the mouthfeel, paired with a dense, dark honey sweetness. • Camphor: A pleasant, slightly cooling camphor note emerges early on and lingers in the throat. The Critique My main issue is the lack of evolution. Beyond the honey and camphor, there isn't much complexity to be found. Specifically, I was hunting for that bright, lemon candy or citrus-zest top note that characterizes the best Yi Wu productions, but it’s completely absent here. The Verdict: The tea is smooth and has clearly been stored well, with no off-flavors or "storage funk. " However, for a tea with over 20 years of age, it feels a bit one-dimensional. It’s a reliable, mellow drinker, but it lacks the vibrant personality and "zing" that makes Yi Wu teas legendary. It's a decent middle-of-the-road aged puerh, but probably won't be a standout in your collection."
— Michaël c. (3/5)
A blessing.
"This tea, might be misunderstood if you compare it, to an other tea that is nothing alike. It’s not a powerfull punchy tea. It is an antidote to that. It is a very flavorfull, simple tea, that you can drink anytime. Even at night. It does NOT have a punchy, destroying QI. It has a HUGELY calming Qi. You should almost think of this as a tea, to drink back to back to a powerfull beast, that you regret drinking."
— Thibaud (5/5)
Disappointingly Flat
"It tastes like an aged puer. However, the taste is too flat in my opinion. When drinking raw puer this old I'm expecting a bigger punch and a bigger depth of flavor."
— Tomer L. (3/5)
Sweet and Smooth
"Mild and simple with classic aged Yi Wu flavor. Sweet and smooth."
— Aryae C. (5/5)
Amazing
"Fast delivery, good quality tea for a good price !"
— Louis E. (5/5)
Very approachable tea, but a bit lacking on the whole.
"I'm about 3/4 through with this cake, and while it's been perfectly fine, I probably wouldn't recommend it overly enthusiastically. It has a very approachable character: mild, sweet, and slightly fruity, with a light astringency. I also get a buttery Chardonnay thing going on, which is really the highlight of this tea in my eyes. Otherwise, it comes off as a bit too mild for my tastes and fits firmly in the casual, daily-drinking category. In terms of a complex, textural, long-lasting experience, my 2020 Impression cake (which comes in at nearly half the price) is a more enjoyable tea to spend my time appreciating. I'm drinking it as I type, and it's perfectly enjoyable, so don't take this as a scathing review. Keep on drinking if you find it a pleasurable experience, as others obviously have!"
— Jack V. (3/5)
Excellent Puer Tea
"Very good quality from this tea and others I have purchased from YS. Definitely a trusted source for Puer teas!"
— Michael J. (5/5)
nice and well balanced. this
"nice and well balanced. this tea holds up for many steepings. this cake is being drank alarmingly fast"
— granville h. (5/5)
Value Cake
"Excellent value. A bit simple but good mouth feel, very fruity, and with some lingering sweetness. The cake I received was very clean. For my palate, this tea has a surprising amount of raw tang for a 2003 tea. I would not be surprised if this continues to mellow into a sweeter, even greater value version of itself."
— Stephen (5/5)
Lovely
"I got a sample of this and decided to buy two cakes. It was a lovely, smooth raw Pu-erh tea with a nice amount of sweetness at the end."
— Jason (5/5)
