Like for derk, this is also the first 2019 tea for me. Here in Ontario, the spring hasn’t arrived yet, but while we anticipate its arrival, we can at least drink some fresh tea, right?
This particular tea is quite a light one, it reminds me of the first flush Mao Feng offered by YS. It is characterized by a clean and crisp taste of green vegetables with an underlying floral sweetness. Despite being on the lighter side, it is fairly complex, especially when using a higher amount of leaves. The aromas are nutty and floral, with notes like swiss chard, candies, courgette and lamb. Taste starts savoury, but quickly transforms into a sweet and grassy one. Apart from the flavours mentioned, I also notice chicory and white fish meat resembling ones. Aftertaste is weak, but there are similar notes complemented by some herbal ones like Breckland thyme.
I find that this tea performs better with longer infusion times and quite a high leaf/water ratio. For this session I used 4.5g/180ml and steeped 3 infusions for several minutes each. The body is fuller than with shorter brewing times. The mouthfeel is slightly less smooth, but I think the astringency actually adds to the experience.
Flavors: Candy, Floral, Grass, Herbs, Meat, Sweet, Thyme, Umami, Vegetables, Zucchini
Seems like a versatile tea.