March and April has consisted of impulse purchases of teas that I don’t need. Frustration, extended work hours, positive changes, and my motivating birthday were the catalysts.
I hovered over this one during the Chinese new year. I waited for my paycheck, and then it was sold out. Luckily, it was restocked on the site, and took a slight gamble getting 75 grams. I don’t regret it at all. Shanlinxi is among my top favorite terroirs, Wang has some of the best oolong I’ve had, and I am one of those basic tea drinkers that likes good jasmine.
I’ve mostly done it western and semi gong fu, but matching more the 50-60 second initial parameters. Shorter steeps makes this tea last longer in bursts of juicy fruit flavors and jasmine, but longer steeps round out the texture and complexity. I didn’t take detailed mental notes with it because I was head over feet. Dryleaf smell is alpine, sweet, grassy, peachy, and jasminey, and so was the tea. Jasmine dominates the most under a very refreshing body and thick mouthfeel, bordering on voluptuous. Flavor fades by steep four though, and some lustre is lost but texture stays.
This one hits every thing I like about oolong tea, and nearly gets an instant 94. I need to tumbler and properly gong fu before I settle my score.
Flavors: Apple, Floral, Fruity, Green, Jasmine, Juicy, Lychee, Peach, Pine, Sweet, Thick