Laos Sheng Pu’er-tekaka Vintage 2021

The cake's pressure is perfect—easy to break off neat leaves without turning everything to dust. Steeped, it's got that piney edge underneath the honey sweetness, and it keeps its energy through five or six rounds. Exactly the kind of early spring character I was hoping for in a 2021.

That first steep hit me with wildflower honey sweetness and a piney undertone that I didn’t expect from a 2021 cake. The ripe fruit note lingers nicely on the finish, and the early spring pick really shows in how lively each infusion stays. I’ve already gone through half the cake in two weeks.

The honey and pine notes come through exactly as described, and the cake crumbles beautifully for brewing. I've had a cup every morning since it arrived and it keeps getting smoother.