New Prometheus - 2023 Raw Liu Bao
Do all roads lead to the same place? A short answer is yes. Although, equally true, is the adage about it not being the destination, but the journey that matters. Some might argue the paradox this presents and lean towards one more than the other, however, we at bardo embrace both holding them to be true at the same time.
New Prometheus is an embodiment of this ethos. With notes of mead, grilled zucchini and roasted kasha this tea is designed to question your Liu Bao belief system. Produced by Black Rock Mountain cooperative, who age their teas naturally in the tradition that preceded the introduction of accelerated fermintation in the 1960s, this tea drinks like a new sheng puer, exhibiting many of the characteristics a tea drinker would find in some green, yellow or oolong teas.
With this is in mind, you could set aside this tea to age and three decades down the line, with the right conditions and much patience, it could end up like it's well-aged counterpart, Old Prometheus. Or, instead you could drink this tea today and look at it as an exploration of the journey before the tea arrives at its well-aged destination.
We encourage you to explore these possibilities and like Heracles slaying the eagle sent to disembowel Prometheus for eternity, may this tea break you free from all limiting realities and aid you in the understanding that both destination and journey are one and the same.
Location - Heishi Shan, Cangwu County, Wuzhou Prefecture, Guangxi Z.A.R., China
Factory - Heishi (Black Rock) Mountain Tea Cooperative
Harvest Time - Spring 2023
BREWING INSTRUCTIONS
- Gong Fu - This tea works great in both porcelain and semi porous vessels. Since it is a small curled leaf, we recommend filling a third of the vessel with dry leaf. Works wonderfully in grandpa style too, after a quick rinse of course.
- Western - Use 1 heaping teaspoon per 8 oz of water. Add 212F water and steep for 4-6 minutes. Can be re-steeped a second time, adding 2-3 minutes to the original steep time.