Description
Witches Butter Yuan Sheng Tuo (黄金耳原生沱熟普洱, Huáng Jīn Ӗr Yuán Shēng Tuó Shú Pǔ'ěr, "Golden Ear Yuan Sheng Tuo Shu Pu'er")
The tea is in chunks, and some parts are harder than others. When trying to break it apart, some of it may need a pu-erh knife, others may be broken down by hand. As the chunks get wet, however, they seem to inflate, but not break apart.
The name Yuán Shēng Tuó is coined by Li Shulin referring to a technique for the artisan fermentation of very small batches of Pu'er. In contrast to the industrial Wò Duī 渥堆 (“Moistening and Piling”) process and the smaller scale Xiǎo Duī Zi 小堆子 (“Small Pile”) process, tea leaves are not turned during the maturation of Yuán Shēng Tuó. This allows the micro-organisms that ferment the tea to form networks of hyphae, causing the leaves to consolidate into a solid chunk, the word Tuó 沱 ("chunk") refers to this solid amorphous shape. Li Shulin’s motivation for this style of fermentation was to recreate the complex flavor of the old, naturally fermented Sheng Pu'er that he drank as a child. This process is slower, smaller, and requires more skill and attention than the Wò Duī or Xiǎo Duī Zi processes. It can only be done with a maximum of ten kilograms of tea at a time
Gaiwan Notes:
When the tavern keeper brews Witch's Butter, some chunks are taken and brewed as chunks, and through the leaves' entire use, they remain chunks.
What patrons say the tea reminds them of:
– Mushrooms (this is where the name comes from)
– Sticky Rice (when with a papa pot)
Papa notes:
For papa, there is a sticky rice scent is unique and slightly more delicate than the sticky rice shu pu-erh. Witch's Butter has a deep amber color, a very unique and pleasant flavor that is smooth, almost milky feel, which is not overpowering.
The empty cup has residual scents of sandalwood.
When brewed with Autumn water, it seems to have a reduced milkiness.
West China Notes: It has a complex umami-forward profile that is reminiscent of a mushroom. Each individual batch of Yuán Shēng Tuó is unique, though all possess the rich, earthy organic flavor of Shu Pu'er while retaining the complex fragrance of Sheng Pu'er.
