2017 Yunnan Sourcing "Da Mao Shan"

My first run with this tea was quite disappointing and had heavy notes of hongcha-level oxidation. Retrying today, with a little less leaf and getting a little more nuance out of it. Holding onto some smoky memories in the rinse and first steep, but not pointed. Low astringency, moderate bitterness, moderate sweetness. It has a sweet, soft woodsiness to it that’s comforting, but I struggle to find breadth to this tea, it has a shallow quality to it. Some definition mushroom flavors in the finish and not a ton of huigan. I want to enjoy this tea, but can’t quite get there.

Big, bodacious, loosely pressed leaves in my sample. Very “green” aroma reminds me that this is a 2017 tea. The taste is very honeyed with lots of mineral and green wood. There a bit of cedar and sandalwood and very light fruityness. If I had to pick a fruit for this I would say lychee. Bitterness and astringency are moderate. The bitterness is nice and lingers on the tongue and cheeks. The description mentions that this tea is slightly smokey, but personally I have to search for the smoke to taste it. It is slightly more obvious when I sniff the cha hai though. The mouthfeel is balanced between clean and buttery.

Later steeps mellow a little and transition to a milky texture. The bitterness becomes interesting: it isn’t burly and in your face up front, it is mild and smooth until after the sip that the bitterness kicks in. Nice mellow qi, I feel it especially in my face and the top of my head.

I’m finding that I have an affinity for the stronger Jinggu area teas like this one. I really enjoy the flavors and the soft but bitter quality, and they tend to be much more affordable than comparable teas from the Menghai area. I’m going to keep an eye on this one and re taste in a couple months/year when it has lost more of it’s greenness.