Sheng Pu Erh Three red flags refers with its name and wrapper design to the history of communist China in the mid-20th century and the symbol of the then politics — the three red banners — San Mian Hong Qi.
The greyish brown coarse leaf is tightly pressed into a brick. The odour of the tea leaf is faint, sour-sweet, reminiscent of a freshly peeled tangerine without the peel. On warming there is a woody earthy odour typical of aged pu'erh.
The infusion is yellow-orange and bright at first, but quickly gains strength and colour with spills and becomes a red-brown, cognac-like colour. The smell of the infusion is grassy-dry-fruity, sour, with unexpected notes of heated stone and cut, sun-ripened grass.
Tea flavour is soft, unusually fruity and earthy, with a note of moderate tartness and pronounced acidity of slightly unripe pear. There is a background ‘green’ flavour of medicinal herbs like chamomile and nettle. As it cools down, the sourness becomes more distinct, sharp and metallic. The aftertaste is light floral, almost imperceptible, but at the same time stable.
Tea quickly and strongly tonifies, fills with energy and craving for activity. Given the effect, it is better to consume it in the first half of the day, especially good before difficult mental work. This variety will suit those looking for a pronounced tonic effect in puerhs. It is also a good value for money example for comparing the flavour profiles of naturally aged tea and Shu Pu Erh tea.