cake is pretty easy to pick apart, nice compression and compared to the big factory cakes the leaves are whole and quite nice looking. I gave it a decent first rinse. The dry cup and gaiwan lid produce a smokey scent that I was wary of, as well as some hints of dried fruit. Upon sipping there is some immediate smokey bitterness in the first few cups, followed by a creamy body, and sweet floral return. The prolonged aftertaste is fairly floral, with a slight hint of stonefruit much later on. Although Awazon isn’t the most recognized company, and has no real ground in the community at large it seems, these cakes deserve a try. While it surely isn’t your hand crafted gooshoo billion year old cake, it is a pleasant daily drink. I can only imagine a few more years of aging will produce even more fragrance, and perhaps that remaining smokiness will transform into something even more beautiful. Awazon doesn’t have to pretend to be anything it isn’t. For what it is, I find it to be a treat that doesn’t require guilt or too much attention. Pick one up and pick at it from time to time, you might find a hidden treasure.
Flavors: Apricot, Dates, Dried Fruit, Floral, Fruity, Smoke
