I bought 25g of this tea at the end of 2015, and this is my last session with it. In the past, I steeped it Western style, with infusions of around 2, 4, and 6 minutes, and got tangy apple cider notes that made it perfect for colder weather. This time, I steeped my remaining 4g in a 120 ml teapot for 30, 25, 30, 50, 90, and 240 seconds.
Gongfu’ed, this seems more like a black tea than it did Western style. I get apple, sourness, tangy sweetness, and black-tea-like tannens on the first steep. It also has that gaba flavour I’m still not sure I enjoy. The second steep intensifies the apple and reduces the sourness, adding some floral and nutmeg touches.
Nothing much changes in the third and fourth steeps, though the spice note gets slightly stronger. It fades in the fifth steep, and by the sixth, the tannens are the dominant flavour. It’s worth noting that I don’t feel any effects from the GABA.
I think this tea works better Western style. Although it’s been compared to Bai Hao, possibly because they both have fruity flavours, the sourness makes it less appealing. I’ll probably go with Guei Fei instead if I want a less expensive alternative. Still, this was better than some other gaba teas I’ve had and it’s a decent easy drinker.
Flavors: Apple, Apple Skins, Floral, Nutmeg, Sour, Sweet, Tangy, Tannin
