The leaves are dark brown/red with a few golden tips present. Also the leaves look small yet mostly full or at least half the leaf intact. It has a damp, earth scent with notes of wood, must and soil.
First Steep – 30 seconds
Colour is dark red with a musty and damp wood scent. Flavour is gentle with soft wood, smoke and damp earth notes. No astringency to speak of.
Second Steep – 40 seconds
The colours is now dark, similar to soy sauce. Flavour is smooth with a musty soil after taste that is gentle. A little damp tasting too.
Third Steep – 45 seconds
Flavour is still soft with damp soil, smoke, wood, musk and brown sugar notes. As it lightens towards the after taste it sweetens.
Fourth Steep – 55 seconds
Down to burnt orange in colour. This steep is more wooden and damp than musty, though the soft sweetness persists.
Fifth Steep – 1 minute
More soil in this steep though still soft and with no bitterness. Very clean and natural tasting. Slight dryness in the after taste.
Sixth Steep – 1 minute 20 seconds
Very light, all I can really taste is damp soil with a soft, sweet finish.
Seventh Steep – 2 minutes
Still consistent damp soil though no longer sweet.
Eighth Steep – 3 minutes
Softer than ever though still a faint soil flavour.
The thing that strikes me the most about this Shou is how subtle it is in flavour. The ageing has smoothed it to a nice place but personally for me this is too subtle. It has some characteristics that while still pleasant is nothing above basic.
For pics and more information on all of this months Yunnan Sourcing Premium Plan Club teas please view my blog.
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/02/26/yunnan-sourcing-premium-plan-club-february-2015/
Flavors: Brown Sugar, Mud, Musty, Wet Earth, Wet Wood
I love your blog! Thanks for the link. :)