Receiving this tea with the Wynn Tea Sampler -D, it was one of the first shous I’ve had in a long while. Though shous are not my bread and butter I really enjoyed my experience with this offering, and it was great to change things up.
The rinsed leaf held the aromas of wet leather, and sour grain – not unlike a buckwheat pancake; sour, rich and malty. This pancake aroma carried into the brew many times during my sessions.
The body of the tea was round, slightly tannic, and silky smooth. The soup kept its smoothness until about the seventh steep, when my mouth began feeling slightly tacky.
The wood/forest flavors reminded me of the wet inner bark of a fallen Cottonwood tree – pleasingly sour and microbial. I also tasted sautéed mushrooms in butter, and wet oak heartwood in the later steeps.
This sample’s energy was very calming, a perfect tea before bed. I’m use to the heating aspect of a sheng, and was surprised by how cool I felt after my session.
For someone not used to shou, this tea was a real treat. I was impressed with its calming energy and how its aromas brought back memories of times in the forest and all its joys.
Flavors: Leather, Malt, Oak
