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This note is for the Early 2k Shu from the white2tea moving sale. I get a lot of the “wet composting leaf” taste that I don’t really like. I tend to get that in mid-aged shou, but not all the time. Definitely not a tea for me, so I’ll probably share it with other steepsters.

55/100

I have survived the tea! I drank this last night in the warrior style! About 10g/100ml ratio, but I didn’t measure weight.

Strong, punchy, pleasantly bitter. A real punch in the throat, but still enjoyable and complex. Notes of citrus and apricot, like some of my favorite shengs. Definitely one to keep around and see how it ages.

A nice, light bitterness at the beginning.. juicy.. some fruit-like flavors. Around steep 8, this tea got so sweet, it tasted like I was drinking sugar.

A good daily drink. Nothing too special from this cake though. A good sweetness after a slightly bitter few steeps near the beginning. Maybe apricot or peach notes, more dried than juicy. Slight astringency after the sixth steep, but a pleasant experience.

Surprisingly, for a 2007 raw, it tastes very green and vegetal to me, like I would expect of a 2013-15. It was light in color and didn’t have any of the typical mid-age sheng flavors that I expect. Definitely tastes of honey with a slight bitterness at the third steep. Good, lasting sweetness with a hint of fruit. I can agree with the raisin flavor notes, but I didn’t really identify a specific fruity flavor that I immediately said raisin..

This note is for my custom, Florida-grown tea by Single Origin Teas

First of all, I ordered a green tea, using the bud and the first leaf and with a soft rolling.

Forget Florida for a minute. Transport your mind to China, to Zhejiang Province, to the village of Longjing. Taste the longjing tea, the buttery, hazelnut-y liquor, perfect in every way.

Now, open your eyes. What’s that? It’s a tea from Florida and not longjing? I couldn’t tell the difference. Seriously. That’s how good this is. I felt like I was drinking some really good dragonwell tea, not something that was handmade for me.

Thank you, James for this experience.. If I could order an ounce or two, please let me know.

91/100

Thanks to Crimson Lotus Tea for the sample! (and sorry it took so long to review..)

This tea is quite the experience. The overwhelming bitterness presented in the first few steeps is a strange, intoxicating bitterness. I’m not a fan of bitter tea, but this is alluring, coating my mouth and throat with a sweet afternote. The bitterness slowly gives way to a lighter, sweeter tea, but the mouthfeel lingers, beckoning you to drink more. All in all, the tea is too bitter for my tastes, so I refrain from rating it; however, it was a delicious experience far beyond a standard tea. The feeling of this tea should be enjoyed and savored.

Subtle and beautiful in complexity.. The tea doesn’t feel strong, but the taste fills you with light smoky, tobacco, and stonefruit notes. A deliciously crafted tea, to be sure.

Very nice (and different) sheng.. Tastes malty and sweet with a “fuzzy” mouthfeel.. Later steeps remind me of apricot, but the malty taste persists throughout all of the steeps. A delicious tea to be had.

Super delicious. Overall, the tea never really got too dark and lightened quickly after the first few steeps, but that didn’t stop the flavor train from going strong for 20 steeps..
First steeps are nutty, moving into a smooth, subtle sweetness. A little bit of spice in later steeps. Seems like a good deal.