2016 Jingmai LOVE

I believe this tea is pretty much my introduction to Jingmai sheng. I tried it both in my gaiwan and Jianshui teapot – I think it was better in the gaiwan. In this instance, the slower pour from the teapot didn’t do the tea any favors and it got some bitterness to it. So this note is really just going to be for the gaiwan session.

The first two steeps surprised me with their strong fruity notes, followed by a bit of a grassy finish. I couldn’t really place the fruit, though it was slightly reminiscent of apricots.

After those first two steeps, the fruitiness faded to a degree, with a grassy/hay flavor taking the fore. These next three or four steeps had a light and crisp flavor, with an only slightly thick texture. They were very refreshing.

The tea got a little bit lighter in flavor for the remaining steeps, though still nicely drinkable. The flavor became more grass/hay with fruity and floral echoes in the aftertaste – not the kind of aftertaste that completely fills the mouth really.

This is a pretty good tea – I think it would be especially awesome during the summer. Pretty simple – not a whole ton of change throughout the session (this is not a bad thing really), with a lighter texture – seems more about the high notes to me for sure. I didn’t notice a great amount of energy from this tea personally.

This tea reminds me of a jingmai pearl I once had from 2015.

The leaves are large, dark, and slightly aromatic. I pick up soft tones of Sichuan pepper, peppercorn, spices, and an underlying syrup sweetness. The Sichuan pepper note immediately brought me back to the jingmai pearl. I warmed my teapot and placed a fair amount inside. The scents changed into a roasted green, smoke, and bitters aroma. This tea brings about spice. I washed the leaves once and prepared for brewing. The taste begins heavy on the smoky side. This brew is fairly meaty with some grainy textures. The brew moves into some bitters, vinegars, and faint background of sweetness. Personally, I am not one for pungent tea or smoky. It’s just not up my alley. So, I did not continue my session. The aftertaste was odd, and I couldn’t quite place it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKvekc_A7Zk/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

This puer has notes of honeysuckle, unripe apricots, wheat barley, and later steeps a little tart. Steep this tea for awhile and it does get bitter, but it gives you plenty energy to not care. It also packs quite a strong taste. The texture is quite nice with a thick body, later on developing an interesting cooling effect in the mouth, and then getting a bubbly sensation.

Full review on Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/2016-jingmai-love-crimson-lotus-tea-tea-review/

Dry leaves are whole and intact. That aroma! Wow, the aroma of the dried leaves is very strong and translates into the tea. One of the best parts of young sheng is that stone fruit honeysuckle apricot aroma.

I brewed this 3 steepings at a time, mixed together in a chahai/pitcher. Each set was different. This tea is interesting, and different in each set. I think I’ll need to break this tea down to separate steepings to fully explore its nuances.

First impressions: Once hot water hit the leaves there was a remnant of a very rich sweet burnt sugar/antifreeze-like smell, maybe remnants of processing? But it went away after the first steeping. Very mild flavor, malty sweet, very full body. Very full body (worth repeating). Thick liquor with lots of bubbles. Underwhelming flavor at first.

Second set: Slight sour/astringency and subtle bitterness developed throughout the session, then converted into a long lingering sweetness and long lasting aftertaste. Not much flavor complexity. Grassy honeysuckle dew.

Third set: Here’s where the huigans started along with throat cooling effect. The gentle bitterness has faded but that aftertaste keeps building. Its wonderful to see it develop throughout the session.

Good longevity, lasted over 10 steepings without fading.

No chaqi.

Last thoughts: Seems a bit too raw for me at the moment. Very pleasant, but stomach was a bit uneasy. I may need to let it get some age. I think I’ll revisit this tea in a few months.

Brewed in bone china gaiwan, 2x rinse, gongfu