Rich, smooth, clean flavor + superb value = win-win!
These 2019 “Jin Bang Gan” cakes are 357 grams each, but one can purchase a cake from King Tea Mall for only $16.99 (at the time of posting). What a steal!
In its early steeps, this tea is sweet, velvety, thick, and satisfying in the stomach, without an apparent central flavor. The infusions then evolve with a floral character that reminds me of clean laundry (detergent, dryer sheets, etc.). Finally, the last steeps gradually become woodier and more herbal, reminiscent of petrichor.
I typically use 5 to 8 grams of tea leaves in a 100 mL gaiwan. Brewing with 5 grams yields a light, refreshing brew with less “core” to the flavor; using 8 grams brings out more spiciness with medicinal notes. I start with flash steeps the first three or four rounds and then increase by approximately 5 seconds for each subsequent brew. I enjoy this tea several times a week and love it more each time.
Flavors: Cucumber, Forest Floor, Lavender, Petrichor, Wet Wood
Ooh… interest piqued.