Tasting: 1992 Tibetan Kang Tea Brick
One of the oldest teas I’ve had the pleasure of tasting, and no doubt one of, if not the most interesting tea I’ve tasted. I first came across this tea on Yunnan Sourcing some time ago, but only now ordered a sample to taste along with many of Hei Cha teas. Almost as old as myself (thirty), this tea comes with an interesting history. These Kang tea brick were made in the Sichuan province, and where then bundled together in long bamboo wraps, 20 bricks each, and transported to Tibet along the old tea horse road.
These bricks for hundreds of years were used as currency in Tibet as well as being drank for their health benefits that greatly aided with a traditional Tibetan diet, which consisted mainly of meat and dairy. These bricks were also traditionally used to make Tibetan butter tea, using Yak butter.
It is clear from looking at the tea that this is not in anyway fancy tea. There is very apparent presence of large twigs and broken leaves, something that you would not normally find in a high end puerh. It is clear that these teas were made from material not worth taking a special effort in producing, yet not worth just simply throwing out.
From the moment I opened the pouch, I noticed the dry tea has a vary abrupt and unique aroma. The aroma is very mossy and carries notes of old, damp, antique woods and books, rich wet garden soil, with unexpected sweet hints of caramel and an odd fruity like aroma similar to aged fruit cake. The wet leaf presented with many of the same aromas, however much more intensified. I detected an added aroma that reminded on the scent you find around small bodies of water on humid days, fresh pulled plant roots, wet forest woods and a new slightly spicy not of nutmeg of a 5 spice.
To my surprise however, for a tea with so many strong and unique earthy aromas, the tea itself was actually quite sweet, smooth and pleasant. The tea has zero bitterness or astringency and easy going down. Many of the aromas found on the wet leaf are very much present on the tongue such as the earthy moss flavor, with a very antique, stored note, dried grass, wet soil and spice.
The tea also has a very flavorful aftertaste that reminds me of brown butter.
I can honestly say I’ve never tasted anything quite like this, and honestly I don’t know if I ever will again. For such an old and well stored tea, it still comes at a very reasonable price, and for me isn’t something I would want everyday, but instead something to set aside and have when I’m feeling like something sweet and unusual. 5 out of 5 stars for flavor, history, aroma and general all around uniqueness.
https://yunnansourcing.com/products/1992-tibetan-kang-brick-tea