I’ve had a fair amount of ‘meh’ experiences with aged oolongs, but it’s fair to say that it is a category I haven’t explored in any breadth. This one is the first aged Taiwanese oolong that I genuinely like.
The complexity and pungency in the aroma is very impressive and in fact certainly above average even compared to fresh teas. It is very floral and sweet in a preheated gaiwan, with notes of stonefruits and spices. After the rinse there are many more aromas, such as those of cooling mountain flowers (thyme), cherry, cannabis, prunes, toast, and popcorn. Additionally, a faint lavender note rises from the empty cup.
Right from the get go, the mouthfeel is very smooth and airy, with a buttery texture and a slightly astringent finish. The taste is sweet, floral, nutty and metallic. It has a minty finish and flavours of walnut shell, char and mussels. The aftertaste is also pretty sweet and buttery. It has a kind of ‘chunky’ character that I am not sure how to describe. It feels as if one was actually eating something. I really like the cha qi as well, which is heady and pleasantly calming.
Flavors: Butter, Cannabis, Char, Cherry, Cream, Dried Fruit, Floral, Flowers, Lavender, Marine, Mineral, Mint, Nutty, Plum, Popcorn, Smooth, Spices, Spicy, Stonefruit, Sweet, Thyme, Toast, Umami
