Shu puer "Round Chocolate" (Ban Zhang Gu Shu), 2006, 180g.

A delightful surprise begins right at the moment of opening the cake. It resembles Dutch waffles: thin, dense, weighing only 180 grams, and looking almost like a chocolate bar. The compression is firm, yet the leaf is dry, so it breaks quite easily without any need for tools.

The raw material contains a mix of sticks, leaves, and even fuzzy buds. Water close to 100°C is used for brewing. The dry leaf is not particularly aromatic, but once warmed, it develops a noble fragrance: prunes, cranberry jam, and wood, with a slight hint of damp spruce branches.

The liquor is brownish-red in color, and the texture is thick and full-bodied—almost spoonable. There is a light astringency, along with woody dryness, tannins, and a leathery depth. For a shou pu’er, it can confidently be called tasty, and a gentle sweetness appears in the aftertaste.

Despite its outwardly heavy and dense character, it drinks smoothly. It provides a gradual, steady stimulation. It easily withstands a liter of water without losing its density or richness of flavor.