Alcoholic Pu erh

If you are below 18 years of age, do not read this blog entry.  If you think you are young and feel like you are below 18 years of age, do not read this blog entry.  This is because of the high alcoholic content in this article.  

A tea buddy from Yokohama Japan, Mr Sato, emailed me last May.  Mr Sato enjoys Chinese tea especially raw and ripe pu erh.  He told me to try drinking pu erh tea with alcohol.  He recommended using whisky, one part whisky and 2-3 parts pu erh.  He mentioned to drink it cool.  My guess is to drink it when the tea had cooled to room temperature or I had to add ice to the tea or drink. 

I was excited to try this tea (it has more tea than alcohol anyway).  I realized that I had finished my bottle of scotch over last Chinese New Year and will be refilling my alcohol stash when I buy a bottle at the duty free airport during my next oversea trip.  I could not wait so I went online to get a bottle. You can buy literally everything now on the Internet.  My daughter recently got herself a metal drinking straw with brush which I see as an attempt to be more environmentally conscious.  

Anyway, I bought a Japanese whisky.  I had wanted to try a Japanese one as I had read an article that the Japanese made ones were quite good.  So I got a Hibiki Harmony.  No age statement on the bottle but I had read reviews that there was good age and maturity in the whisky.  

I brewed up a 2006 Xiaguan iron cake, poured out the infusions into cups and and left the tea to cool to room temperature.  I used 1 part whisky/2 parts tea and sat down for a drink.  Gee......the tea or drink tasted nice. Sweet, spicy, woody and fruity.  Very good chi....I think from the alcohol or tea.  I had another round, this time with ice.  This time, the drink is more minty with a sweeter aftertaste.  Xiaguan on steroids.

I am going to try, next time, this bottle with ripe pu er and high roasted oolong.  I will also experiment adding a few whisky drops to a cup of tea.  I will report my findings to my readers.  I do not think this bottle will keep till Christmas.  

But I digress.  The Kim-Trump summit is happening here in Singapore on June 12.  I hope something meaningful comes out from that meet.  A toast to peace.