2005 LaoBanZhang Maocha

Ho-kay. Talk about hyped… another sample I was feeling a little intimidated by, which drinking it fixed. “I’ll show you, leaves!”

I got some smoke. I got some creaminess in the opening steeps. “Sweet” — relative-to, right? It’s smooth and nice. I did not experience any noticeable cha qi.

And here’s where I just have to be brave around all y’all more seasoned drinkers and say that I’m not really here for easy. (I feel the same way about wine or scotch, and don’t understand “goes down smooth” as a selling point — please give me peat bog.) If we can turn up some basement-camphor or old furniture or porcini or rootbeer or weird smoked fruit, I’m in. If it makes me see pink elephants, also great: please send.

My benchmark at this point is the Purple Barrel Maocha… any sheng-variant much less interesting than that, and I’d rather be drinking oolong. Price versus experience, this isn’t for me. Er… actually just experience-experience. Alas. :(

7g, 100mL gaiwan. Had a friend over so no particular notes. Used Brita tap, so not sure if it was that, but this shone at the beginning and then wasn’t very exciting overall. Some nice florals in aftertaste, some warming initially that dispersed. Some light mushroominess and slight bitterness when pushed. Wasn’t as enamored as before, which could be the seasonal water variations? Idk. Didn’t have the extensive aftertaste in mouth or throat as before. Impression overall is that this still seems pretty soft (compared to my impression of the YS LBZ), and was good for introducing a beginner to a pleasant sheng with some age. Same issue generally with longevity though.