The change in flavor between harvests can be quite interesting. This winter’s bao zhong was very TGY-like. There’s the usual heady lilacs you find in bao zhong but it also had the floral character of TGY.
I steeped this tea grandpa style, as I normally do with competition bao zhong teas. I started with 190 F degree water and topped off with boiling water once the glass was 1/3 – 1/2 full. The tea started off light but with an pleasant floral flavor. It tasted like the early steeps of TGY. Notes of violets, orchid, and egg custard were detected. After a few more steeps, the egginess subsided and the tea developed a fuller, more rounded floral sweetness. Following the first top off, the tea became lilac heavy with a rich mouthfeel that coated the entire tongue. Some vegetable broth and notes of sweet pea appear later on.
Though not as sublime as past bao zhongs, this was a solid tea with an interesting flavor profile and good longevity. It’s got nice flavor, but I expected more from a competition grade tea. I have the regular winter TGY from TTC and will be tasting it soon to see how it stacks up.
Flavors: Floral
