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I’ve been challenged! So here is my first review… So I had high expectations of this tea before it was available again, Mr. Veck on the Steepster Chatroom would occasionally wax on about his fond memories of this tea and how he wished he had more than a single serving left, because it was such an enjoyable Shou. So when it was around again… I bought one to split with him as a surprise, later to find out he got one himself! Long story short, this tea came with expectations and some improbable buying. I wouldn’t have normally picked up a Shou in this price range.

This is good! There is that sense of depth one gets from CLT Bulang Gushu Shou, but coupled with wood rather than sweetness. This is one shou I actually prefer with shorter steeps. It is balanced in the same way the Dayi 2011 Centennial Shou is, and definitely near that quality, but perhaps a little earthier. It still has some of the dirty notes associated with shou.. but if you are a shou drinker a cup wouldn’t be quite complete without that hint of dirt.

This tea is something Lord of the Ring’s Ents would drink. It gives me a great sense of calm, it’s very earthy in the most elegant of ways. It brews forever and ever and ever… I am still drinking the gaiwan leaves I started last night. Flash brew shou definitely goes further. I feel like since this one has a lot more to it than sweetness that the flash steep brings out more of it’s elegant characteristics than turning it into motor oil (like I do with my beloved Bulang Gushu- druid lattes ftw) and also makes it last a lot longer. While this might be an expensive shou per gram, the flash steeping makes it last about twice as long as most of my ripes.

Point being: I’m glad we both have a cake Veck, and we need more Kunlu Online Tea Parties! Also Glen, you must find more of this!

If you’d like a more complete review, Teadb has a video review on this one where they meet with Glen and his lovely wife to drink it.