Quite interesting, gaiwan-brewed with high leaf ratio, 5g to 175ml. Leaves are broken to bits in my 10g sampler. Initial tongue note of sour powder, like the coating on sour patch kids, rich and malty liquor with lots of body.
I’m getting the burnt hay notes, maybe even chewed pine needles if you’ve ever done that. Malt and astringency cover the entire palate for a long finish which beckons the drinker to pour another cup. Woody too, not quite sawdust but more like cutting through an already charred oak.
I found this pleasant but rather limited in experience, and a little overpowering.
Second steep enjoyed with a tangerine as a snack. Initial power has mellowed but the flavors are still very one-dimensional. The sour and sweet have gone off a bit leaving mostly charred leaves, mineral, and wood. I wonder what this would be like cold brewed?
The tangerine helped offset the astringency and light bitterness present. Probably won’t get much more out of this brew. It’s not bad, just not outstanding as some other variants of Oolong have been for me.
As LetsDrinkTea.com states: “Cheaper varieties [of Shui Xian] have a slightly burnt taste and are commonly found in Chinese restaurants”
Yep, nail on the head with that comment…
Session brewed about 4 times, but flavor fell off steeply on the 4th infusion.
Flavors: Bittersweet, Malt, Mineral
