143 Tasting Notes

61
drank Young Gushu 2022 by Mei Leaf
143 tasting notes

A disappointing sheng. I got this tea from my recent Mei Leaf order, and everything about it was just lacking. This tea had beautiful leaves and a decent cha-qi, but the flavour was weak and one-dimensional, the aroma was weak as well, and the finish & aftertaste was just not good enough. The texture was surprisingly unpleasant, with a bucket load of dryness and a slight “throat lock” ensuing in my mouth. Other than that, this tea really wasn’t “offensive” or downright bad in anyway, but just bang average and definitely not worth your money.

Flavors: Bittersweet, Citrus Zest, Garlic, Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Rose, Soy Sauce, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 5 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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66
drank Amber Mountain by Mei Leaf
143 tasting notes

A mediocre yellow tea! I got the 2021 harvest of this tea from my Mei Leaf order, and unfortunately I still haven’t found a yellow tea that I love yet. Beautiful leaves and liquor with a decent texture and character. Flavour was delicate but a bit lacking, especially when it comes to nuance. Finish and aftertaste is almost non existent and so was the cha-qi. Average longevity and an okay aroma to boot. I’m still looking for a yellow tea to really shout for.

Flavors: Brussels Sprouts, Candy, Creamy, Cut Grass, Dried Fruit, Floral, Grassy, Hay, Mango, Rainforest, Sweet Corn, Tangy

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 1 min, 15 sec 4 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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70

Sipdown of this tea! I got the Spring 2021 harvest of this tea from my YS order some time ago. Beautiful leaves and liquor, with a decent cha-qi and longevity. However, this tea is quite average in terms of taste, texture, finish, aftertaste and character. It is a decent tea, but everything about it seems just bang average. If you’re looking for an easy drinking Wuyi Yancha or an average benchmark for rock oolongs, this tea could be it.

Flavors: Citrus, Leather, Milky, Mineral, Ocean Air, Spring Water, Wet Rocks

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 8 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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78

A dianhong that almost makes the mark for me! I got the Spring 2022 harvest of this tea from my YS order, and this tea is super interesting and rich in character. Absolutely beautiful, vibrant liquor with a rich golden sheen, incredibly unique juiciness and texture that pairs well with the finish of this tea. Unique flavour which honestly I am not the biggest fan of, but it is something you either like or don’t like. Still, really really interesting and flavourful. This tea however lacks a strong aroma, potent cha-qi, and only has an average longevity. If this tea had better qualities in those areas, I would’ve snooped up more of this tea for my next order.

Flavors: Bittersweet, Chalk, Chocolate, Citrus Zest, Floral, Jasmine, Malt, Muscatel, Nutmeg, Plum, Sour, Spices, Sugarcane, Tangy

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 30 sec 5 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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64

A relatively mediocre Dong Ding. I got the 2021 harvest of this sample from my Mountain Streams order, and it kind of just reminds me of a typical supermarket roasted oolong, but with a few things done better. Beautiful rolled leaves, with an incredibly vibrant and semi-active liquor, with a deep and rich aroma in the dry and wet leaf. However, the flavour albeit decent, lacked complexity and strength, and the texture as well as finish & aftertaste was quite thin and lacking. No noticeable cha-qi and an average longevity brings this tea down to something that is just… mediocre.

Flavors: Beans, Cherry, Citrus Zest, Coffee, Cream, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Mineral, Mushrooms, Roasted, Stewed Fruits

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 45 sec 5 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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74
drank 2021 Lumber Slut by white2tea
143 tasting notes

A clean shou! I got this sample from my recent w2t order, and this tea really is an easy drinker. Beautiful leaves and liquor with a nice, complex aroma. Smooth and clean texture with a longevity that makes this tea last 15-20+ steeps. The flavour is clean and decent, but lacks complexity and nuance. This tea needs some work in the finish & aftertaste department, as well as the cha-qi department too. Overall, a really solid daily drinker especially at that price. A worth it tea.

Flavors: Cardboard, Cinnamon, Citrus Zest, Forest Floor, Musty, Plum, Smoked, Smooth, Wet Wood

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 6 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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65

An okayish meh green! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent Mei Leaf order, and while the tea was quite good on the first steep, it really just went downhill from then on. Very nice, complex and potent aroma with a decent aftertaste. The tea had beautiful leaves with a vibrant and active liquor. The first steep provided a unique and complex flavour with high and body notes. However, the flavour didn’t last long and gave way to slightly bitter vegetal staleness by the third steep. This tea needs to offer more in its texture, finish, cha-qi, and character for it to be something I’d recommend.

Flavors: Chicken Soup, Creamy, Cut Grass, Elderflower, Fruity, Pepper, Vegetable Broth

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 0 min, 30 sec 4 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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76
drank 2018 Hot Brandy by white2tea
143 tasting notes

An interesting tea with a unique character! I got this sample from my recent w2t order, and it is definitely the first time drinking a black and white tea blend, let alone pressed into a cake. Incredibly unique and complex aroma with a beautiful liquor, potent flavour and a decent aftertaste to boot. This tea lacks in a bit of nuance and complexity when it comes to flavour, any real form of cha-qi, and the texture could’ve been better. While it is an interesting tea, I wouldn’t say that this tea is something I’d buy again, or something I’d stock up if I had a tea shop. Really decent and unique, but it falls short just by a bit. Still, it’s definitely something I can recommend for people to try.

Flavors: Acidic, Brandy, Citrus Zest, Floral, Hay, Malt, Plum, Spices, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 45 sec 7 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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66

My first experience with a Ya Bao! I got this tea from my recent Yunnan Craft order, and it is one of the most delicate and fresh tasting teas I’ve ever had. Delicate flavour and aroma, along with a smooth texture and a unique character. I wish that this tea would have a more nuanced and complex flavour, with a richer aftertaste and finish, as well as some form of cha-qi. If you’re a fan of delicate teas without much action, this could be a good tea for you. However, I just find that it lacks too many things to really be something that I’d recommend.

Flavors: Cream, Floral, Hay, Mango, Pine, Smooth, Sweet, Warm Grass

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 30 sec 3 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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71

An interesting dancong! I got the 2022 harvest of this tea from my recent TeaVivre order, and while it has a lot of unique and interesting properties, this tea has a few downfalls too. The leaf of this tea looks immaculate, with an interesting character and uniqueness when brewed. Smooth and complex texture that changes between steeps, with a rising and unique aftertaste accompanied by a developing bitey finish. While the flavour was overall pleasant and quite decent, it lacked complexity and strength, treading the line between delicate and intense (which leaves me feeling meh about the tea). The aroma was generally weak, albeit pleasant, and the longevity and cha-qi of this tea has much to be desired. Overall, a decent tea that would need much more in terms of quality to really be worthy of a “Nonpareil” title.

Flavors: Blood Orange, Cardboard, Citrus Zest, Creamy, Floral, Fruit Punch, Honey, Lychee, Nutty, Smooth, Soy Sauce, Tangy

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 8 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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