Tribute Tea sources many things from Jeff Fuchs, the same man whose 100g tea cakes form the basis for the Jalam Tea Club selections. This aged Yiwu arrived as maocha rather than a pressed cake. Perhaps this explains why I was a bit disappointed by the tea during my first session –loose tea does not seem to age nearly as well as pressed cakes. I am a fan of YiWu material and I have several aged YiWu cakes but this one does not compare to those teas. The leaves are quite attractive and appear to be whole. Not much scent from the dry leaves (a bit earthy) but that is not unusual with YiWu material. However, there is not too much flavor in the cup and I must say I expected more. A nice dark golden color is found in the tea soup which appears to be quite clear. Earth and leather flavors come through clearly in the early brews which is rather smooth. Eventually a little sweetness appears but this turns quickly to a woody tone. I do not doubt that this is authentic Yiwu leaf but, for my taste preferences, it has lost it lacks the oomph I find in most Yiwu Shan selections.
195 °F / 90 °C
0 min, 15 sec
6 g
4 OZ / 110 ML