Rested this one for several months after opening to see if the smoke would relinquish its iron grip on the base material:
3-stage filtered L.A. water just off the boil into my white/brown “turned” Jingdezhen gaiwan, then into a Pyrex measuring cup, then a small porcelain cup.
Woven/slightly compressed material, long leaves and plenty of stems.
Sandy brown liquor. Wood fire, cassava, and forest floor in the nose.
Potently smokey but no longer aggressively so if you keep the infusions brief (15 – 20 seconds at first, ramping up slowly). Clay, loam, and nutty flavors dance around the edges. Rich and warming body. Smooth with little astringency (despite the smoke), and no musty notes.
A rustic yet satisfying smoked tea, perhaps lacking the nuance/character of the better aged examples of Liu Bao (though I have limited experience to compare to).
