Quick verdict: 6.5/10. Enjoyable herbal earthiness, a silky middle and mild sweetness; fading by infusion eight. How I read scores.
This small 100g ripe Pu’er started in familiar territory: earthiness, slight sweetness and a moderate body. A few infusions later, its herbal character and silky texture had become more interesting. By the fourth cup, I wanted to slow down and simply sit with it.
I tasted this 2021 新益号 金冰岛 (Xin Yi Hao Golden Bingdao) on 21 October 2026. It was an enjoyable session, with its best balance in the middle infusions and a quiet fade towards the end.
The tea and the setup
| Tea | 新益号 金冰岛 — Xin Yi Hao Golden Bingdao |
| Year and format | 2021; 100g ripe Pu’er (shou) cake, as labelled |
| Tasting date | 21 October 2026 |
| Leaf and water | 8g / 160ml |
| Water temperature | 100°C throughout |
| Rinse | 10 seconds |
| Infusion times | 10, 10, 15, 15, 20, 25, 35 and 45 seconds |
A note on the name: “Bingdao” is part of this tea’s branding. The packaging does not, by itself, verify that the leaves came from Bingdao village, and I have no independent provenance evidence for this cake. I am reviewing what I tasted under these brewing conditions.
Dry leaf and rinse
The dry leaf had the typical ripe Pu’er smell, with some floral notes alongside it. After a 10-second rinse, the lid carried a sweet floral fragrance. In the cup, I found dried dates first, then floral notes, and finally warm earth.
Those were aroma observations. My opening flavour notes were simpler: earthiness and slight sweetness.
The eight infusions
1 — 10 seconds
A moderate brown colour, with an earthy taste and slight sweetness. The body was moderate too. A straightforward opening, recognisably ripe Pu’er.
2 — 10 seconds
The body became thicker, and the earthiness more pronounced. There was still some light sweetness, a mild coating on the tongue and a mild herbal aftertaste. That finish reminded me of both medicinal roots and dried herbs.
3 — 15 seconds
The liquor was noticeably darker. It felt smooth and silky, with more sweetness and a stronger herbal character. The earthiness was still there, but less dominant. This was where the tea began to hold my attention: the balance had shifted, and the texture had become more appealing.
4 — 15 seconds
A thick liquor: the herbal character led, with earthiness behind it and mild sweetness. It was smooth and easy to swallow. A thin, silky coating remained on my tongue, followed by a mildly sweet herbal finish. This cup brought the flavour and texture together particularly well.
5 — 20 seconds
Stable. The herbal liquor, earthiness, mild sweetness and silky mouthfeel held much as they had in the fourth infusion. There was no notable change to add to my notes.
6 — 25 seconds
Stable in character, but lighter. The familiar profile remained, while its intensity began to ease.
7 — 35 seconds
Essentially the same as infusion six. The longer steep maintained a steady, lighter cup without revealing a new direction.
8 — 45 seconds
Similar again, but starting to become bland. The tea had reached the point where I was getting less from the cup, even with the longer infusion. I ended the session here.
The spent leaves
The wet leaves were very dark brown to nearly black and predominantly broken, with some stems visible. When I handled them, they were flexible. Their appearance and pliability do not establish their origin or leaf grade. Their aroma was typical of ripe Pu’er: earthy.
What stayed with me
During the fourth infusion, the tea made me want to slow down and appreciate everything life has to offer. The image that came to me was of my surroundings becoming blurry while I noticed my body and my own being more clearly. My attention had moved inward, towards the simple experience of sitting there and drinking.
The flavour was familiar enough to describe: herbal, earthy and mildly sweet, with a smooth swallow and a silky coating. Yet that description alone does not quite capture why I enjoyed the session. I wanted to linger with it.
My personal enjoyment score: 6.5/10. My standards are demanding, and I quite enjoyed this tea. The middle infusions offered the most satisfying balance; later cups held their character before becoming lighter and, by the eighth, bland. For this session, 6.5 feels right: an enjoyable ripe Pu’er that gave me a welcome reason to pause.
Related ripe Pu’er reviews: Dayi 7572 (2101): From Dry Earth to Chicken Congee and Dayi Jin Zhen Bai Lian: A Memory of Monk Fruit.
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