Mesmerising flavour and potent body effects. A very special Lao Cha Tou from old trees growing in Mengku.
These nugs are top shelf Lao Cha Tou. Not only do the have an incredibly rich, deep and nuanced taste and a creamy, vaporous mouthfeel, they also leave you with a sweet, long finish and a crazy tea high.
Before we get into the details, let's quickly explain how these nugs are made.
During the ripening process to make Shu PuErh, leaves are combined with water and piled to encourage fermentation from mycelium and other microorganisms. These piles are regularly turned to ensure even fermentation.
If the fermentation is done poorly and the wrong cultures develop then the tase of the tea will be way too funky. But, if done properly, the resulting tea is smooth, rich and sublime.
During the ripening process, these nugs naturally form as a result of extra juicy leaves and increased mycelium activity - they are basically the super-fermented and prized tea which is picked from the pile and kept aside. There is hardly any Lao Cha Tou produced in comparison to the size of the main batch of tea and they are sold separately.
But, here is the thing that we have noticed from decades of tasting Lao Cha Tou - they really represent an amplified version of the character of the fermented tea. If the tea is not great or the fermentation is not done expertly then then the nugs can taste pretty awful. We taste so many Lao Cha Tou that makes us wince a little.
However, when you find a batch of ripe PuErh that is incredible like this - made from Mengku old trees and fermented to perfection - then the resulting Lao Cha Tou is the cream of ripe PuErh.
The flavour of Nug Potion is head-spinningly rich and spiced - rum soaked prunes and ginger cake covered in a fennel seed caramel, all eaten in a wine cellar filled with barrels and sandalwood incense burning in the corner.
It is 'blow your head off' intense!
The texture is creamy and vaporous and it leaves your mouth with slightly salty and sweet preserved plum juiciness.
So why Nug POTION?
Well, not only does this tea taste like a spiced distillation of potent aromatics, it also has a magical body sensation.
Oh, and did I mention that this tea is immortal? You can brew over 20 infusions with these power Nugs and it will still have more to give - I suspect that you will give up before they do or you will be brewing this tea over multiple sessions.
Tea of the Year 2023? It's immediately a front-runner.
PLEASE NOTE. These Nugs have intense mycelium activity and, just like some cheeses, will show white mold - this is normal and not a reason for return.
Nug Potion is one of Don's favourite teas of the year:
