This is the first tea that has convinced me there might be a part of me that can enjoy sheng.
The first thing I notice is still the astringency and bitterness I associate with sheng, but it’s much less harsh than I expected. In the first steep I can tell there’s something else there, but it’s a bit hard to decipher.
On the second steep though I start awakening to the other scents and flavors. It leads with freshly baled hay and minerality. As the session continues the tea mellows into a sweetness that is reminiscent of red currants.
The qi doesn’t knock my socks off, but it’s present, powerful, and longer lasting that what I’m used to from shou. It presents to me as calm and mind melting energy that would be equally good for meditation or housework, but makes focused tasks hard.
As I expect from young sheng it’s a bit too harsh on my stomach to be something I could drink daily, but I’m glad to have it in my cabinet as a breath of fresh air and a respite from the world.
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Floral, Fruity, Hay, Mineral
