Fruit Monster: From Hyde to Jekyll

The ’11 Fruit Monster first came into the Puerh Junky’s possession in early 2018.  At the time it was aptly named, but three years later it takes considerably more infusions to get to the tobaccoey, smokey attributes.  Furthermore, the tropical fruit like jackfruit notes have all but disappeared.  Yes, the Fruit Monster has turned from Mr Hyde to Dr Jekyll.

Transformation is the name of the game with raw puerh.  Where something is this year doesn’t speak for the following.  A production sharing the same name from the same factory will most assuredly differ from year to year.  So it goes.

For the most part the big and bold Hyde has transformed into something considerably more refined.  There’s lots more vanilla in there.  In fact, vanilla is the overriding taste, not dissimilar from the old school Vienna fingers.

There can be no doubt that Fruit Monster is now a decidedly different animal, far more genteel than earlier in its life.  The broth is rich and frothy with lots of sweetness.  It imparts a filling and enjoyable experience.  The macho fuerte of tobacco is still there but lies hidden for the late infusions to reveal.  Overall, however, Fruit Monster for the time being has turned Zen in 2021.  This is not an awkward phase of expression.  There is nothing off about how it performs.  The contrast from the early stages of drinking and the later ones, however, may leave the impression that the cake is still “young.”  This may particularly be the case if it had not been sampled during its youth.