5 Tasting Notes
i rinsed the tea once.
the first steeps have a smokey and tannic taste with a similarly smoky aroma. i noticed a lot of sticks in the blend and that the tea leaves are fairly large.
overall the liquid is smooth to drink and doesn’t dry your mouth all that much. mellow but with some pleasant astringency. feels slick in the mouth.
the taste is vegetal, smoky and with some nice acidity later on with an apple-like aftertaste. the color is a deep yellow bordering on orange. the vendor describes the tea as having a bold “swampy” feel to it to which i agree. in addition i think there’s a very nice subdued smooth and calm side as well.
Preparation
very honey-like sweet tea. first steeps are light but grows in body later on. a bit finicky to brew but in a rewarding way.
in addition to the sweetness there’s a light nutty taste and maybe a rice cereal type feel too. very little astringency depending on the brewing parameters.
the leaves have a vegetal and, compared to the liquid, a robust aroma. very sweet.
the color evolves from a nice pale green to a deeper yellow with a hint of green.
good value!
Preparation
i’m a shou newbie but as far as i can tell this is pretty tasty. kinda bitter in a coffee-like way but mellows out after a couple of steeps. i did three rinses.
notes of earthy wood and fallen leaves. maybe a dark chocolate too.
i like it
Preparation
the dry leaves have a grassy aroma with hints of citrus notes. steeped leaves smell like cut grass and a bit brothy too.
the first steep was light and fresh. the second was thicker in body and felt tingly at the top of the mouth. taste is grassy and moderately astringent. third steep was much like the second but with a bolder, thicker, almost cream-like, mouthfeel. the fourth steep died down a bit in flavour but had a newfound sweetness.
a good value tea!
Preparation
brewed in a gaiwan. the leaves have a strong roasted fragrance. the liquid smells faintly of a fruit.
early steeps are mild and clear, taste has notes of deep fruits and the strong roast. as expected of the tea there are mineral flavors present. it feels refreshing to drink.
the liquid feels very quickly pleasantly sour at the top of the mouth and fades into a long huigan. the lingering feel after drinking is very pleasant.
later steeps have savory mineral qualities and less of the sour fruity vibes. drinking the tea leaves a dry tannic feel but not to the point of discomfort.
the leaves look dark and have interesting shades of a warm green and a crimson red. the liquid is an orangeish cadmium yellow with hints of brown maybe.
