3 Tasting Notes
The early steeps of this tea were what I would describe as ‘juicy’. They were interestingly sour in a way that many fruit juices are. It produced a feeling on the tongue and in the bottom of the cheeks that was pleasantly drying and slightly cooling at the same time.
Very thick at first, thinning out a bit in later steeps. The tea coats the tongue and makes it feel flush or slightly swollen. It is similar in character to the w2t Tuhao, although this is not as throaty of a tea, and the huigan is not as strong.
What was most intriguing was the complexity of aroma in the gaiwan. Each steep brought out something different, sometimes drastically different than the last steep. Overall a very enjoyable tea.
Flavors/Aromas: Steamed Rice, Pipe Tobacco, Masala Spice, Grain, Minerals, Grape, Apple
Preparation
This is the most obviously throaty tea I have ever sampled. It produces a very noticeable ‘pooling’ feeling at the top of the throat, as if the tea were physically sitting there. If you concentrate, you can feel the tea enter your chest and expand.
Its taste is quite soft overall, but the tea definitely possesses strength that manifests in astringency when pushed. I would describe the flavor as a light floral bitterness with just a tinge of those sort of ‘barnyard’ tastes. There is a very interesting cured meat smell on the gaiwan lid that doesn’t come out in the flavor.
Huigan is slow to build, but very apparent after several steeps. Quite excellent tea.