Menghai 7532 (2002)

For lovers of strong aged Sheng.

While the origin of the Xue Yin (“Snow Mark”) moniker is disputed, the quality of this tea is undeniable. Coming from the famous Menghai Tea Factory, more familiar to most under its contemporary “Dayi” brand name, 7532 is the gentler sibling of the renowned 7542 recipe, consisting of slightly smaller leaves with a higher ratio of buds. These gold-tinted buds reflect the over two decades of aging that have gone into this tea, starting in Hong Kong and later making its way over to Taiwan like much Pu’er from that era. Its tea soup is dark like one would expect from any tea that has spent considerable time in the humid harbor town, but clear with a pleasant earthy fragrance. In the mouth, it feels heavy and rich with notes of oakmoss and molasses. Mint and camphor provide a contrast that makes the tea feel alive and dynamic despite its age. It feels smooth as it flows down the throat like water, immediately warming the entire body from the inside once it arrives in the stomach. This tea is calming at first, but it creeps up over the course of a session until it grabs hold of your full attention, not letting go until its leaves are completely spent. An excellent example of an aged tea that has shed its youth, but not its strength.

Written by Sigi