Got this as a sample from Chicago Tea Garden and it's nearly everything I like in a pu'erh.The description:
"This pu-erh is made from the large leaves of old tea trees. It is aged in loose form, so there is no need to purchase a large cake. This tea is bold and earthy, with a smooth, sweet, lingering aftertaste. These leaves have been aging in a man-made pu-erh cave in the United States since the mid-90s."
It's got a strong earthy aroma and the brew, from the very first steep, has this rich, old flavor to match.
Took about half of the sample in a 160ml pot filled to ~100ml, think I'll see if it brews differently in a gaiwan for the latter half. Used water ranging from 205 to 195, the hotter producing stronger/shorter/darker brews, and poured into a ~140ml cup.
The only downfall was the longevity of the leaves, only about a day's worth of brewing and faster to require long steeps than other pu'erh I've encountered. Depending on your taste, there was a bit of dustiness to the first steep or so, even after having been rinsed. Also, I couldn't find any of the bitterness I've read about it in some reviews, and only ever got a little sweet around the fourth brew. Not sure if the lack of bitter is a pro or con for me, but the sweet was pleasant while it lasted.
Along with this and the Zealong Pure, I also received a sample of their Wu yu and the Camel's Breath Toucha. Have only gotten around to the Wu yu so far, but definitely enjoyed it. My first impression was that it tasted a little closer to a Japanese green than a Chinese, though as it progressed it grew more into that familiar Chinese green taste. Might order some eventually(newer harvest?), but for now my curiosity is sated.
Edit: Oh! And I've been repurposing decor/gardening things lately for my tea time. See: the candle stand that I found just the right size for a pot.
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