Lao Cha Tou 2017

These little ol’ tea heads of compressed shu pu’er give a bounty of deep sugar in a liquor of such clarity and refinement, one cannot fathom it is a mere byproduct of producing other tea. The dark nuggets may not invite a second look, but are often considered a good deal by the aficionado, who’s aware of the crazy wonders that can be produced by the pressure, moisture, and heat during the fermentation process. That estimation would be especially justified here, perhaps due to the quality material of gushu trees turning over a new leaf. So why not participate in their eventual unfolding, where initially a golden soup imparts the nectar of fruits, sugars of malted grains, a texture viscous in the way of linseed, before rolling out a slightly salted and mouthwatering dulce de leche, one as dark amber as the liquor's subsequent infusions.