Leaves were smallish and crumbly, and I rinsed this twice in boiling water, which drew out a bit of bitterness. I don’t have enough knowledge of regions, but this reminded me of a Menghai shou. Sharp bitterness, counterweighted by a dense and smooth mouthfeel from steep 2, soon followed by mineral coolness and sweetness. No wet pile element encountered. The tea soup was very dark, clear, and soil-colored with no red tint. I appreciate black tea that tastes uncluttered like this and I found it very easy to guzzle this. Paired with greasy food it has the function of a sharp unsweetened diner coffee to accompany a heavy breakfast. It has the caffeine kick too. After 5-6 steeps it quickly becomes very mineral and rather dry. The sweetness was less present overall and only really shone in one steep. Age might make this a more relaxing shou.
7 g
5 OZ / 150 ML
