Finally getting around to trying this fan favourite; I’ve been sitting on a sample of it for what feels like ages now and as much as I’ve always felt really intrigued by it there always seems to be something just a little more interesting that catches my attention in the moment when I’m selecting a tea.
I’m going 7g/100ml – and will take jot notes with each infusion. I don’t think I’m going to time the infusions out though; I’m mostly just in the mood for something a little more casual and experience based. It’s been almost two weeks, I think, since my last Gong Fu session. The manager at the store I work at got fired a little while ago, and since it was so spontaneous we didn’t have a new manager found yet. So, I’ve been running our store in the interim until we find someone new – which means I’m working literally seven days a week. Literally 60-80 hour work weeks. This is the first afternoon I’ve had off in two weeks; and only because I finally just sort of buckled and said ‘nope; can’t do another nine hour day! I’ll open the store, take the afternoon off, and come back and close in the evening’. Fuck me, I’m tired.
Oh, also, gave this a rinse first! A pretty long one, because I’m spacey AF.
Steep One:
- Very strong camphor really right off the bat
- Intensely aromatic, with woody notes all throughout the sip
- A little bit bitter in the top of the sip, but sweet undertones
Steep Two:
- The aforementioned profile, but a little less bitter and a little raisin-y
- Astringent finish
Steep Three:
- Camphor, mineral, raisin, petrichor, wood, bittersweet chocolate, pine, leather
- Already feeling quite the buzz from this, and I’m only three steeps in!
- I actually think this is wicked smooth too; very pleasant overall!
Steep Four:
- About the same; perhaps more emphasis on the pine and leather?
- More sweetness creeping in, as well!
Steep Five/Six/Seven:
- I think this is the sweet spot for this tea; it’s got all the aforementioned tasting notes
- With absolutely no astringency, and a thick mouthfeel!
- Best part is the extra push of pine and petrichor, and the sweet finish
Steep Eight:
- This was the steep where I really started to notice the decline in flavour
- Mouthfeel also seemed thinner/more watery
Steep Nine:
- I definitely wouldn’t call this the point where the tea was ‘steeped out’
- However it was quite a bit weaker than I really wanted it to be
- And most of the wood notes had subsided
- It was also the last of the water in my kettle; so this just seemed like a natural end
Overall? I was a little intimidated by this tea both because of the reputation it’s gotten but also because the way it’s described on W2T’s site is a little scary. However, overall I GREATLY enjoyed this tea! It was a really good session that highlighted what are actually my favourite flavour notes in Shou overall (sweetness, petrichor, wood, etc.) just in general but especially within the last month or so. I don’t know if this is in stock at all still, but it’s something I’d actually probably cake.
Photos:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg1rnHkAhHq/?taken-by=ros_strange
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg1zxwQA8Uh/?taken-by=ros_strange
Album Pairing: