The cake is hard pressed and it really is chocolate-bar thin. it’s very easy to snap off an approximately 7.5g square, but if you want an amount of tea that isn’t a multiple of that, good luck.
The orange taste and aroma is subtler than I was expecting. I had never had these aged oranges before, and it is really nothing like fresh orange peel. Still, I might have preferred more orange in the mix. The good news is that the orange really incorporates into the flavor making it feel like one thing, not like just puerh and orange coexisting seperately in the cup, if you know what I mean. The orange really seems to want to be brewed hot and long for best aroma. There was only a slight pleasant bitterness present, even when brewed long. Texture wise, I prefer a thicker creamier shou then what this offered, but it was still quite smooth.
Overall I’m happy I bought it, but I don’t see myself buying more. That being said two caveats: I brewed this with a 7.5g square when I normally brew with 10g in an 150ml gaiwan because I prefer things on the stronger side. Also, it hadn’t rested at all before tasting. I’ll try it again in a smaller vessel in a week or two and see if my impression changes.
Flavors: Dark Bittersweet, Medicinal, Orange, Smooth
