Chinese Bing Cha Pu'er

I was skeptical about the whole pressed cake thing, but it breaks apart easily with a knife and the velvety texture really comes through in the first steep. I've been brewing it for a few evenings now and the mellow sweetness keeps pulling me back for another cup.

The 2013 pressing is beautifully mellow—first steep was already velvety, no harsh bite at all. I've been brewing it gongfu style and the texture just coats the mouth, exactly what I hoped for from a ripe pu'er.

The cake arrived intact and the first steep gave me that dark, syrupy brew I was hoping for—velvety smooth with zero harshness. It’s been my afternoon go-to, and the 2013 aging really shows in how mellow the finish is.