2004 Nanjian Phoenix Superior Grade Yunnan Tuocha

I’m still learning what to expect from Sheng but I can say that I did enjoy this tea. it does seem to be pretty sensitive to brewing parameters with the early steeps. I’ll have to work with this to nail down the notes of flavor but I look forward to doing so. The leaves definitely had a smoky smell initially. This tea has some real viscous qualities, almost heavy in the mouth and is downright crazy as far as sheer intensity of flavor goes. I can perceive numerous flavors and notes thought the individual infusions especially after the smokiness subsides about steep number 4. I also get a real perception of fresh green hops for 2 or 3 infusions, followed by very faint aura of kumquats as the last of the tea is spent. I also notice that this (as with other younger sheng) that it is a really good bronchial dilator, it seems to improve my breathing ability, which as an asthmatic is a good thing.

I found this to be a very smoky sheng. Pine smoke dominated the aroma and flavor through the first six gongfu steeps before stepping aside and letting it’s true nature come through, although I got some smoke in the retro-nasal exhale through the 11th steep. Once the smoke did subside I found some floral notes in the aroma and a fairly strong and pleasant tart and sweet combination that finally tapered off around the 15th steep.

This sheng has some power and legs, but it’s just too smoky for my tastes.

Nice sheng, slightly astringent but not overpowering. A tiny bit smoky in the first infusions, but it mellows out. Keeping the steeps relatively short. Used 6g of leaf in a 6oz Yixing pot. One 10s rinse followed by a minute rest and went 15s, 10s, and up from there.

My only complaint is that the tuo cha is so tightly compressed. I decimated most of the leaves trying to pry them off.

I’m using the suggested steep times and really enjoying it.

Gongfu style: Full boil, 1g per 30ml, 20s rinse, stand after rinsing for 60s, 1st steep 20s, 2nd steep 15s, 3rd steep 15s … increase the seconds incrementally.