I rinse the tea for 10 seconds, then I smell the gaiwan lid.
It smells like pu-erh.
I try to go a bit further. Carobs and old wood.
First infusion — 15 sec
Now the lid smells like warm steam with some kind of tea in the background. I also keep smelling the methylated spirit I’m using to boil water with a portable burner.
The tea liquor looks clean enough, there’s some kind of white patina on the top. Smells like a hot desk, taste almost like water. I try again.
Second infusion — 10 sec
This time the soup it’s a bit cloudy and it’s steaming. Also the leaves and the kettle are steaming. The tea tastes like a wooden donut: good on the outside, but essentially empty in the middle.
Third infusion — 10 sec
This time the soup is quite brown. Almost absorbing light. Smells like mysterious warm stuff. This time I can taste the center of the donut: pleasantly sour. Nice. For now this tea it’s more like a brown ghost than a witch. Because it looks thick and real, but slips away silently, leaving a metallic trace, a sour sensation.
I also feel like I’m drinking blood.
Fourth—Fifth infusion — 20-30 sec
Dark sour blood. Looks like blood, tastes like blood. I became aware of some dark chocolate feeling in the background. I’m feeling a bit high.
At this point my mouth is full of astringency. I also need to piss.
After the piss I eat some salt to freshen my mouth. But then I feel salty and stupid. So I eat some sugar to balance the salt. It’s time to go back to the sixth infusion.
Sixth infusion — 45 sec
The gaiwan’s lid smells like wood and… piss? I wonder if it’s my hand smelling like piss but than I smell my hand and it doesn’t smell like piss, Maybe I’ve been thinking too much about piss.
The tea tastes like a jellied blood.
Feels like it’s getting weak, this time I steep longer.
7—8—9 infusions
Not blood anymore. I’m confused, now it tastes like…pu erh. Still a bit of piss though.
Also I steeped for like 2 minutes and it’s still weak. I steep again for like 3-4 minutes. After that I can tell this tea is gone. I liked it.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I don’t understand this tea but I love it. I’ll never get tired of drinking this stuff.
Flavors: Astringent, Cacao, Cherry Wood, Dark Bittersweet, Metallic, Pleasantly Sour, Round, Smooth, Thick, Wet Wood