A PuErh which changes with every session - shifting and elusive yet totally engaging and delicious. Fruity and jammy with cooked sugar and marmalade bitters combine with creamy and mineral intrigue.
This PuErh has surprised me more than many teas which we release because of how much it has evolved since sourcing it in Spring 2022.
The Maocha (loose-leaf) was straight ahead Strawberry Jam (hence the name) and it was always going to be a fruity fella. But we like to hold back teas to allow a little extra maturation and wow this blend has shifted into a beautifully baffling tea.
Before we get into the changes, let's talk about the origin of these leaves.
Jam Ambassador is a blend of two mountain areas in the West of Xishuangbanna. Jing Mai and Ba Da are relatively close to each other (about 100km) and yet their tea character is quite different. Jing Mai is known for aromatic and uplifting teas and Ba Da is more famed for bringing fruitiness and a light bitterness. We have mixed these two areas to make a fascinating mix and I think that the elusive character of this tea is mostly because of the complexity which comes from blending.
On the one hand, we have a very jammy aroma of cooked-down strawberries and molasses. But in the mouth, the tea shifts and moves to cover so many notes. Sure it is fruity with cooked mango and apricots but there is a dark honeycomb bitter-sweetness and a zesty calamansi edge which offsets the stewed fruits. It is also creamy and slightly nutty to add warmth to the experience. And then, before you know it, the tea becomes alpine fresh with flowers and rocks and a sherbet lightness. Throw in a sprinkling of hot vinyl and bay leaves. Mad!
The aftertaste has a juicy citrus marmalade bitterness which is soft but present and leads to an apricot sweetness. Body sensation is flushed and happy.
Drinking Jam Ambassador is a wild ride - it shifts and moves and expresses itself however it chooses on any given day. I don't think that I have tasted a PuErh so much since shooting my tasting video and every session has been different!
I am so excited to taste how this tea changes over the years. The smaller leaf picking and impactful mouthfeel make me think that it will be a treasure in my aged tea collection too.
