I liked it. The overall quality and balance are good, characteristics are generally positive, and value is really good for selling at such a low price for tea that’s medium in quality level. I just comparison reviewed it along with the 2017 version (which isn’t an even comparison, aging one a year longer) and it was interesting how similar they are. This is a bit narrower in range, with a bit more vegetal scope, which I interpret as complex wood and pine, but another year of aging may soften it and broaden the expressed flavor range. It has a bit of dryness to the feel the 2017 didn’t, but again it would help to compare tasting these at exactly the same age, and I tried a 2017 sample a half year later in an aging cycle. It’s on open question to me if the tea will really improve a lot with well over a decade of age; it could be a bit more intense, with a little more bitterness and astringency earlier on. All that just means it’s better young than it might be, and could be very nice at 2 to 3 years old instead. The full review:
http://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.com/2019/05/comparing-2017-and-2018-yunnan-sourcing.html
People who liked this
Comments
Perfect timing. I saw where mrmopar had put this in his cupboard and asked if he had tried it. I recently picked up a cake of this, too. Thanks for being brave and sampling it. Watching Scott and his wife drink it, I got the “impression” (hee hee) that they didn’t care for it as much as the 2017. Here’s hoping it ages into something amazing. I’ll give it a try in a few years.
I would try it now, in order to see how the aging transition works out. It’s the only way to know how those patterns go, to try a large number of different cakes before you think they’ll actually be ready to see how they start, and then maybe once or twice a year until you plan to get to it. Also there’s a standard take in aging sheng that many are fine within the first year, some need a couple of years to soften and transition a little, and some need at least a decade to change a lot. Different people parse that type of divide out differently but not many seem to think many teas peak between 4 and 5 years old, or make much sense to drink between then and a full decade. I’m guessing it really just depends on the teas and on preference, but all the same I’d try teas at least once a year to check on what changes.
Perfect timing. I saw where mrmopar had put this in his cupboard and asked if he had tried it. I recently picked up a cake of this, too. Thanks for being brave and sampling it. Watching Scott and his wife drink it, I got the “impression” (hee hee) that they didn’t care for it as much as the 2017. Here’s hoping it ages into something amazing. I’ll give it a try in a few years.
I would try it now, in order to see how the aging transition works out. It’s the only way to know how those patterns go, to try a large number of different cakes before you think they’ll actually be ready to see how they start, and then maybe once or twice a year until you plan to get to it. Also there’s a standard take in aging sheng that many are fine within the first year, some need a couple of years to soften and transition a little, and some need at least a decade to change a lot. Different people parse that type of divide out differently but not many seem to think many teas peak between 4 and 5 years old, or make much sense to drink between then and a full decade. I’m guessing it really just depends on the teas and on preference, but all the same I’d try teas at least once a year to check on what changes.