This PuErh just makes me smile. A cheeky, floaty and delightful Gushu (est 200-year-old trees) from the unknown forests of Yang Jia. Orange creamsicles and marmalade muffins.
Mengku is one of my favourite areas for Raw PuErh. Good batches are diverse in character but they generally have a wonderful balance - punchy aromatics and a strong mouthfeel promising a potent body sensation while all wrapped up in a soft elegance.
There are many famous villages in Mengku such as Bing Dao and Da Xue Shan but I have never heard of Yang Jia so I was confused when this sample arrived from a new scout - is this a local name for a more established village? Apparently not and I struggled to find its exact location but all I know is that this little village has come up with a gem of a tea.
Tranquility Leaper exhibits all of the hallmarks of a great Mengku Ancient Tree PuErh - it's rich and assertive with aromatic fireworks, a dense complexity of taste, shifting physicality in the mouth and a rounded luxury.
But, this cheeky little porcupine has a livelier, brighter and more playful character both in flavour and body sensation.
The predominance of the opening taste is orange creamsicle (hence the cover artwork) - that beautiful blend of citrus and custardy creams. The middle adds a baked-bready warmth with brioche and muffins studded with caramel and coconut and paired with a peach nectar. The end adds marmalade and aperol bitters with a touch of dill and wood resins.
The finish brings back the fruits with apricots and orange while adding a waxy floral note of lotus and a little fizz of sichuan peppercorns.
Tranquility Leaper dances in so many directions that you feel like you are trying to keep up with a child at play when tasting. It is bemusing, amusing and deeply enjoyable.
The body sensation is equally joyful. The front cover of the porcupine blissfully surrendering to the universe in free fall towards an orange creamsicle pudding is quite apt although there is an added cheekiness since its pressing.
Floaty and dizzying bright energy awaits if you brew up stong!
A great tea to launch into 2025 - shrug off the fears and the doubts and leap!
