Hints and Guesses —

Three Teas in Early Spring

A raccoon climbed the fire escape as we brewed the first tea.

A Raw Wild Pu-Erh from OT-3 presented itself next. This time the tea stood up properly — though it never stands up the same way twice. It shows itself differently to each person.

Pointing out a tea’s specialness often meets resistance. What seems self-evident to one may not be obvious to all. For this reason, many have come to see tea reviews as faintly absurd.

In truth, apart from the cookie-cutter examples, most reviews tell us as much about the author as the tea. Hints and guesses, someone once called them — and that seems about right.

I am almost more inclined to choose a tea whose description lists the previous night’s baseball scores instead of flavor notes. Whoever did that might be onto something.

Even the best intentions in writing about tea often leave one unsatisfied — especially when one truly loves it.

The tea world is full of eccentrics. Generally, it’s the ones who hide it best who stand out — with a few glorious exceptions.

Our third tea was an attempt at a Five Element blend in the way of my teacher.

Mixing teas — true blending — is an exalted art form. Simple on the surface, intricate in practice. The best results tend to arise when one gives over entirely to intuition.

Three Raw teas from the early 1980s, in mixed proportions, were added to three small scoops of an early-1970s citrus-stored Pu-Erh of note.

Aged woods and decayed florals met resinous citrus rind.

As the pot filled, the sun emerged. A chorus of birds began singing in the rafters above our heads — a first. The tea had been selected as a tribute to Spring. The timing felt precise.

My guests played it cool when this was observed.

Then, at the first cup, one was suitably stilled — eye at table height, staring through the tar-colored liquor like a lens pointed toward the infinite.

That response is the only review that matters.

All of this unfolding in the very heart of a bustling city.

dirt 1983 | Raw Pu-Erh

$100.00

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