I received this 2005 shou as a part of a storage comparison tea set from YS. It is a potent tea, both in aroma and flavor. I steeped 5g leaf in 8oz boiling alpine spring water for 10s (after a 10s rinse), repeating for 9 infusions, the final going 30s. Each infusion was dark brown in color, sweet, creamy, smooth and pleasant in taste, with an aroma of sawdust, leather, and leaf litter, with a hint of tea leaf. No fishiness or objectionable flavors, no bitterness or astringency. But certainly no notes of cherry in flavor or aroma, as reported by the vendor and by several other tasters, either. It was a good, basic ripe puer but without anything particularly notable, either good or bad. So I rate it at a solid 70. As of Jan 2025 it is still in stock and for sale as full cakes or smaller samples.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Creamy, Leather, Sweet, Woodsy
