From Whiteantlers envelope dump! I look forward to these. I am going to be honest that I will have a hard time with some of the Pu-Erh leftover from the LP group buys (I’m having a hard time getting through some of my own), but they will be drank and they are deeply appreciated. The oolongs are my first hit.
Being the basic snob I am, I began with the 2018 Alishan. Dryleaf is extremely floral and fruity and peachy, bordering on scented from a distance, but nice and woodsy close up. I’m guessing there’s a hair of roast or more oxidation than the usual green Alishan. Brewing it up slop-fu-ly, 15, 30, 25, 33, 25, 35, ?, 60, ?, 3 minutes as of now…? means I lost track, and could have overbrewed it, but it turned out nice.
A lot happens. The rinse had slight honeysuckle, and the tea transitioned in the second and third steeps from creamy florals of hyacinth and a hint of a young red fruit I usually don’t get like cherry, to slight grassiness, melon, osmanthus hint, honeysuckle, then lingering sweet finish. Steep 25 sec is was sugarcane sweet, but floral and the remaining steeps were fuller and thicker with a nice deep yellow.
Later steeps got sweeter and fuller, and more of that weird red fruit. Some honey, still floral and creamy, but mostly sweet. It almost reminds me of a young cherry. I know I’m appropriating that from the notes of Camellia Sinensis’s Shanlinxi-unoriginal Daylon. Yet there is something fruitier about this one in later steeps. It’s been a long time since I’ve had an Alishan that has fuller fruit notes. Most of them from the last few years have been more vegetal, floral, and creamy than anything else-this is a good change of pace. It’s like a lighter greener version of Wang’s light roast Alishan.
While not super bold with its flavor, the balance and aroma of it is really nice. I was very pleased with this one. I wonder where you got this from Whiteantlers. It made my morning.
Comments
Daylon, in the past 24 hours, I have tried to post FOUR notes to you on your various threads and all. Have disappeared. Each note gets shorter.
HEY!!!! I missed you. I hope you are managing in this year. I’ve had some issues too and needed to repost some things.
Daylon, in the past 24 hours, I have tried to post FOUR notes to you on your various threads and all. Have disappeared. Each note gets shorter.
Hello!
HEY!!!! I missed you. I hope you are managing in this year. I’ve had some issues too and needed to repost some things.
<3