Ancient tree PuErh made from one of the six Ancient PuErh Mountains. A special treat with a magical body sensation. Oud, woods and rocks combine with flowers, caramel and fruits.
Yunnan is home to the most breathtaking tea terroir on earth with numerous villages and mountains producing uniquely delicious PuErh tea.
There were six famous ancient mountains of PuErh tea production: Youle, Gedeng, Yibang, Manzhi, Mansa and Man Zhuan.
Modern PuErh production has reclassified area names and added plenty of newer areas and so this list of six mountains is more of a historical record of mountains renowned up to the Qing dynasty.
Bliss Beholder is from Man Zhuan - one of the ancient six mountains of PuErh and it has a noticeably refined character.
I want to jump straight to body sensation but that would do a disservice to the densely rich drinking experience.
Bliss Beholder is loaded with minerality which creates a structure to hold so many different aromatics, tastes and textures.
These emerge in a show of layered performances.
Bliss Beholder demands patience to allow all of the characters to have their moment in the spotlight so take your time with this tea.
When the leaves meet heat, they release a heady, sweet and resinous nose of oud, pungent lillies and toffee. These eventually leave room for mango to waft through the gaps.
Rinse the leaves and the minerals leap out of the gaiwan - sauna rocks and chalky cliffs dominate but stay sniffing and suddenly the mineral curtain falls to show off the fruits - mashed banana, tinned peaches, dried pineapple and creamed coconuts.
It is the same time-release experience in the mouth.
The soft and thick liquor escapes into a mineral-rich brightness that quenches the tongue and throat with a rocky taste. Hang in there because in the next few seconds flowers bloom out of the rocks and combine with sweet woods, caramel, incense, mountain herbs and fresh reams of paper.
Wait a little longer and the fruity feast begins with apricots, pears and crisp, sweet apples. These all linger as a fruity sweet finish, like munching on asian pears in a room infused with with incense, jasmine and lily.
OK now can I talk about the body sensation?
Bliss Beholder has a different effect on me compared with any other PuErh.
It slows me down, naturally evoking patience, calm and quiet (which is quite a feat for me). This is not to suggest that it is relaxeing or tiring but more that it ushers me to a different state - one of hushed awe and connection.
I don't feel drunk on Bliss Beholder but instead feel like I have stepped beyond the curtain, broken the fourth wall and can rest in awareness with the the world playing before me as a marvelous show. I feel connected to reality as a 'knower' rather than as an 'unknowing' player and it gives me a sense of profound, tranquil resonance with all.
Maybe it's just me or maybe it is these 300 year old trees growing in the ancient forests which are teaching me their wisdom.
PS this is a more tightly pressed cake and so it is a little more compact than most of our other tea cakes. Break carefully and allow the water to open up the leaves rather than using your hands.
