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Having tasted (and not particularly enjoyed) its 22-year-old aged counterpart, I was pleasantly surprised by this tea. The dry leaves in a hot gaiwan smell exactly like honey mustard kettle chips – so strange! But the flavor is nothing like that. I did not rinse this tea, but the fragrance after the first infusion was very similar to other baked teas from Shan Lin Xi that I have tried. Very comforting mouthfeel (ultra smooth in the early infusions with a medium-thick viscosity). This changes in subsequent infusions, tending toward a mildly (pleasantly) astringent tanginess, like a tieguanyin. The maple notes that Song’s website suggests are definitely present (if you’ve ever tried maple water – water drained from maple trees – it tastes just like that). Slight Wuyi characteristics, not the roasted flavor but the creamy minerality. Turbinado sugar. Aroma in later infusions has the spicy/woody/sweet notes of a Mi Lan Xiang Phoenix Oolong. Subtle spicy floral notes too, like chrysanthemum. Finish is refreshing, long lasting, and really enjoyable – like ultra-fresh grassy milk. Flavor lasted through five infusions for me before fading. Really enjoyable tea, pricey but comforting.
Flavors: Brown Sugar, Cream, Grass, Maple, Mineral, Roasted, Spicy, Tangy, Wood
