Today’s review is a brand new offering from Misty Peak Teas – The New Black. The New Black is a ripe puer, a coming of a new age as Misty Peaks has not ventured into shou until now. This tea caught my interest, moreso to see how good of a ripe Misty Peak teas has for $29 for 100g price tag. The review for this tea jumped up my queue as I got so many questions about it!

As described on their site The New Black “…has matured to perfection since it was picked back in the Spring of 2012. As we know, Pu’er only gets better with time, and this tea is a wonderful example of that. This tea was picked in Spring of 2012 and left to age until 2013. It was then lightly fermented over 4 months in order to carry the fresh tea taste while still bringing a wonderful earthy character.”

Also, any fellow Canadian metal lover and metal nerd knows “The New Black”. I was thoroughly entertained by the tea name as I am a huuuuge Devin Townsend fan. How many Devin Townsend references can I shove in this review? It will be tough, as I control an awkward soul…

(lots of screeching hoot metal music links)

Packaging

Misty Peak Teas certainly has slick packaging. My sample came in a wax sealed black box. The paper included has gold flecks. I love the clean lines, simple yet sophisticated packing that lacks goats.

Also included with the sample was a cup.

Dry Leaf

So Misty Peak Teas sent me a beenghole. Said beenghole has a couple white hairs on it too. Rest assured, finding hair in your tea is common and not scary, it’s no centipede. I do have to mention the beenghole not for your entertainment value, but as a reader you need to know that I am drinking the part of the cake that is super compressed.

Scent wise is really tame. It has a light scent, if any. This is also why I got into this sample early, it was sent loose in a box with a cup, so I figured it was decently aired out. As I broke off pieces I found the leaf compression tight, but I am also dealing with a beenghole.

Steeping Instructions

I am disregarding Misty Peaks steeping instructions. Their website says 180f/ 82c, 3-7 gram, 120ml, which is very strange for a ripe puer and light for a raw puer. I am going to treat The New Black how I always steep shous – 1 gram to 15ml (though I am tempted to leaf more, but I don’t have much leaf to play with), boiling water. I ended up doing a single rinse.

Tasting of Misty Peak Tea’s The New Black Ripe Puer

The New Black steeps up clear and ruddy. The leaf scent is steaming hot chestnuts.

First Infusion: The New Black Sips in skullet top clean. There is a wonderful earthy nuttiness and mineral sweetness. The texture is creamy and slick. I generally do 2 rinses but this cup look good enough to start early.

Second and Third Infusion: The ripe puer got a touch more woodsy in colour, deepening in colour.

The flavor is earthy woodsy with a bit of sweet cherry with a touch of cream. Cherry notes seems a running theme for me for Misty Peak offerings. The finish has a touch of mineral sweetness. The texture is slick with an oily lip feel. What stands out in this ripe is how clean and clear it is without any fermentation funk, fish, or crusty at the Ivanhoe.

Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Infusion: Wow, that colour!

The New Black continues to develop adding a rich earthy character, and regulated consistent through these infusions. It sips in earthy, cherry wood, cream, and bit of spice. It is very smooth to drink. After each sip my palette is clear – there is no aftertaste or lingering flavors.

Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infusion: The New Black ripe puer’s earth notes is starting to lose steam, unlike the juular trainfire. The flavor is still woodsy and cream, but also getting heavy on mineral amber flavor. It’s got a good breathy and deep peace feeling to it.. Each steeping gets sweeter and sweeter mineral.

Underneath the waves…

Twelfth and Thirteenth Infusion: I did long infusions here – 10 min and 30 min. All I’m left with is sweet mineral flavor. Very pleasant finish and enjoyable until the end. This ripe puer lasted far beyond metal than expected.

Aftermath

Far from here… we’ll light away

Comments

A very good offering from Misty Peak Teas. The New Black is a solid ripe puer – it is easy to drink, smooth, earthly, and sweet with a decent body to it. The ripe is very clean and lacks all manners of funk or sour. The New Black ripe puer is so clean, you can likely clean your floors with it. It is a great new to puer ripe as it is super friendly and easy to brew. I doubt you can get this one bitter or dry with over brewing. Ziltoid might accept this as a substitute for coffee.

For the more seasoned puer drinker, it is pretty reliable, ready to drink puer. The New Black tastes fairly dry stored and squeaky clean – I mention this as most of my puer ripe friend love that old wet basement or crusty library book ripe puer – the new black is quite the opposite. This ripe can fight well with all the other good ripe puer out there….. but the price. The price on this ripe is on the wrong side and quite expensive. I can recommend a number of ripes from other tea sellers that have just as good quality for cheaper, or something older for the same price. To match price and age, 2013 Denong Wild Shou from Bana Tea Company is a more complex and all hail amazing. That said, it is up to you to pay that much for SUPER CLEAN ripe, or just wait for a sale.

Almost again… (had to link, I love this song)



(tea provided for review)

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