Creamy, caramel indulgence in a cup. The Ball-Pit Tycoon is a ripe PuErh BOSS!
Ripe PuErh has a myriad of flavours from fruity to forest, from herbal to mineral. But, the tastes that we find the most elusive and treasured in ripe teas are creams and caramels. Many PuErh's may have a hint of these, but every so often the right pickings are fermented by the right producer to craft a cream bomb.
This is one of those special teas.
Made from Gong Ting (very fine bud heavy) pickings from old trees (estimated 80-100 years) in Menghai. These leaves have been fermented to absolute perfection in 2010 and aged loose in Yunnan for 13 years to make a super smooth and clean sipper.
Bud-heavy pickings will always tend to bring out more of the soft, supple and malty notes of a tea but these old-tree pickings have added character, which with careful fermentation has brought out a mouthful of chocolate, sweet spice and caramel notes.
The extended ageing of this PuErh has created a clean and thick-textured brew without any wet-piling aroma. This clarifies the tasting experience to fully enjoy the remarkable childlike indulgence of this brew.
While caramel, tuile biscuits and milk chocolate mousse take centre stage, there are many other side notes which add structure, spice and intrigue to the experience. Pine nuts and camphor contribute a resinous quality to the tea while aged tangerine peel, cinnamon and antique woods add an essential herbal pep to remind you that this is medicinal tea despite its confectionary character.
The Ball-Pit Tycoon also has a rich body sensation. In the stomach and lower half of the body, it is settling, digestif and cleansing. In the head, however, it feels rising and energetic making for stimulating thoughts or conversations.
Ripe PuErh's like this really don't come around that often. Ball-Pit Tycoon is a future classic which, I have no doubt, will be universally loved and will be talked about long after it has sold out. I am already stock-piling for my future self!
