2013 Hong Tai Chang Ming Dee Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

**Dry leaf aroma**
A serious and mellow aroma with hints of cellar and woody bark.
Light mahogany notes add nobility and a calm character

**Aroma in a Heated Teapot**
Warm notes of baked apples, prunes, and wood bark. The apple scent evokes homemade pies with sour cream filling, creating a cozy and warm ambiance.

**Aroma in the Cup**
Woody bark with creamy coffee undertones and a light sweetness. Earthy notes with hints of chocolate and pastry give the aroma depth and softness.

**Flavor**

First Brew:
A dense, enveloping taste with coffee-cream notes, woody undertones, and a subtle hint of prune. The infusion is soft and rich, ideal for a morning start—refined, not aggressive.

Second Brew:
Smooth, sweet coffee-cream descriptors, with the prune becoming more pronounced. Woody notes intensify, adding body and depth to the flavor.

**Overall Impression**
A calm and enveloping tea, perfect for those who enjoy gentle pu-erhs without sharp notes. Pleasant for morning tea sessions, this pu-er gradually sets a working tone, offering a sense of softness and coziness. The characteristic coffee-creaminess, chocolate, and prune notes are complemented by a delicate woody bitterness, making the infusion refined and profound.

**Conclusion**
This ripe pu-er is a noble example for those who appreciate softness and elegance. Longer steeping reveals sweet chocolate and prune shades, as well as pronounced coffee creaminess, creating a rich and satisfying taste to enjoy with every sip.

My first taste of a ripe Pu-erh made from ancient tea trees growing in the mountains of Northern Thailand.
This dark tea from 2015 is full of robust energy, with layers of earthy and woodsy notes. Even after several infusions it brews a gorgeous chocolate brown color that looks as rich as it tastes.
The forest tea trees of Northern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar exist in sustainable harmony with the habitat around them. They do not require any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Tea produced from these old trees has a beautiful concentrated flavor that's absolutely unique and magical.
Thank you TEASIDE for such a remarkable tea.

Mamma Mia, what a tea! An hour ago I finished my tea session with this wonderful shu pu-erh. I have a lot of different teas and pu-erhs, probably a year and a half has passed, and today I just opened a bag with a sampler. A complete delight: dense, thick, almost viscous, sweet shu. And one more thing is clearly felt: I would call it CLASS. This is a classy pu-erh, made by a classy factory, using classy technology. I gave tea to my wife to try, and although all teas are divided into three large groups for her: Shu Puer, Sheng Puer and Da Hong Pao, she said that the tea is good, which means, gentlemen, that it is REALLY GOOD.

I’m new to drinking Pu- erh.. for the past month I have tried a few different types. I started mainly for health benefits. This 2013 Ripe HTC is smooth on my palate. It has a warm depth of colour. This earthy clear clean welcoming red has a soothing, calming yet very focusing effect. I love drinking this tea. I wish I could buy more.. but it’s no longer available.. what a great find for the start of my Pu- erh Tea drinking journey with Beautiful Ancient Trees.

Bbetween this and the 2012, this one is the winner, as it has a more interesting taste.
besides that, the share many similarities that are superior to factory ripes-
strong and defined taste is , a thick mouthfeel, and much better longevity than a standard factory ripe.

the caveat it shares with the 2012 is that they are both shadowed by the quality of the top ripes from Tea-Side,
but that is to be expected from the price difference.

A good daily drinker ripe!