19th January 2026 - New Tea
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On 'Blue Monday', where people are meant to be at their lowest after 
the Christmas blur and the pervading darkness, why not try a new tea?

This time I have Legend Of The Limelight, a blended sheng pu'erh from 
Mei Leaf. This is a 50/50 blend of a dry stored Yibang from 2005 and a 
wet stored Gushu from 2009. This mix of wet and dry storage gives a 
curious mix of flavours and smells. I bought a cake as I couldn't get 
a sampler and well.. I thought lets spoil myself. 

For today's session, I am using my clay teapot for brewing. It should 
reduce some of the minerality. I will try the gaiwan for another 
session at some point. I am writing this after 7 infusions. The colour 
of the liquid is a dark amber colour. The smell of the liquid is a mix 
of leather, fruit and menthol hints. The wet leaves are similar in 
smell buit with less leather. The taste is a series of sensations. At 
first, you get the dried fruits mixed with old book. Then a 
menthol/camphor flavour and sensation hits the side of the tongue. 
This fires along and you are hit with a mineral, drying effect on the 
tongue. As you breathe in, the menthol/camphor sensation remains. It 
is a curious rush which sort of just clicks. Alongside this, you feel 
this tea in the mind. I feel floaty with focus. 

On first taste, there was a dankness which has turned into greater 
minerality. Plenty of life in this tea for infusions. It is good to 
have breaks from it otherwise the minerality becomes a bit much. 

All in all, this is a delight. It does not taste like any other sheng 
I have tried. There are familiar sensations but this is an 
interestiing mix. The joys of a blend I suppose. I will be enjoying 
this for a fair old while. Excellent.