This is mostly fruity shou with a little bit of an aged character already. It reminds me a bit of Menghai V93, but with less wet-pile taste. The taste is quite balanced – tart and savoury with a nice bitterness and mild sweetness that accentuates in later steeps. It is a smooth and crisp tea. I can also see what Scott means by the spearmint-like cooling sensation. You can really feel it especially in the back of the mouth.
I found notes of hot apple, raspberry, cherry and cocoa, but this is not a complex tea. Mouthfeel is mostly oily and a little lubricating.
For someone who wants a fruity shou that’s ready for casual drinking, this is a pretty good choice. However, it is not as interesting as some other recent YS ripe productions.
Flavors: Bitter, Candied Apple, Cherry, Cocoa, Fruity, Herbs, Raspberry, Red Apple, Spearmint, Tart
