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First time sampling it I decided to just go forth and use my zishi.
I don’t use gaiwans for shou anyway.

Used my ~90 ml zishi dedicated to shou and around 6 grams of leaf.

The cake had very light compression for me. I easily broke my sample from the cake without use of a cake-tool.
Very beautiful leaves. Had a strong aroma too.

Used two quick washes after adding the leaves to my warmed up pot.

Steep times:
3/5/5/5/8/8/16/40/90/180

First steeping was a bit fishy and bitter but I could tell it was just waking up. The true flavors were yet to come out.

The second steeping I was getting hints of creamed wheat with a Bittersweet Malty aspect going on, still little fermented taste but nothing major.

The chaqi was very warming in the chest and stomach.
I felt alert and energized but was perfectly content sitting listening to peter tosh and sipping this delicious tea.

Can’t wait to try this with company and see what they think of the taste.
To me it’s a winner.
Perfect price, smaller sized cake, decent delivery speed minus customs in my case, and a great taste.

Steeps up kinda lighter for the first 2 infusions, but it was dark dark dark for the rest of the session.
Found this to be an easy everyday drinking ripe like crimson recommends.
I found it has enough complexity that it doesn’t get boring and lacks any fermented aromas or taste.

Used 4.20 grams of leaf first time with this one.

(Did two quick rinses)
5/3/3/3/7/7/7/11/11

Bright, clean, & slightly smokey.
Infuses to a nice pale orange hue.
Smells fantastic brewed.
My little studio is overpowered with sheng aroma.

Very smooth tea no astringent properties for the first couple steeps!
Slightly sweet and greatly pleasant to sip.

Almost a citrus hint with a juicy “easy” drinking quality.
Calm but mentally focused chaqi.
I feel the heightened awareness starting to creep up.
Ima play with this one a few more times before final judgement but mandala tea has brought the good stuff yet again. ;-)

6.24 grams 90ml glass gaiwan
8 second rinse

3/5/5/8/10/12/15/30/45/90/180

First steep noticed a metallic note but I admit I didn’t warm my teaware up prior to adding the leaf.
Everything but the metallic note was good. Woody, earthy, subtle musty in a pleasant way.

Noticed more of a balanced flavor of wood earth with a dry sweetness quality around the 4th steep on.

Had a very gentle chaqi that uplifted me and warmed me up as well. Exactly what I was after this morning.

It’s a fairly complex tea but has a bit of fermentation flavor left yet. It faded quick but those sensitive to that be warned.

I think for the price it’s a wonderful tea to age. I might try to drink this one more often.
I have a feeling out of my seasoned yixing it will taste more rounded.

Overall I am satisfied with this tea.
Thanks mandala.

This is an awesome shou.
I am glad I choose this one to be my first experience crimson lotus tea.
Taste was smooth and balanced. With notes of molasses & wheat & earth present.
Used 5.8 grams to 90 Ml glass gaiwan.

Very good tea. Getting notes of minerals and dates.
Sweet and light for such a young puerh.

I’ve tried this tea multiple times now and I feel it’s time to finally do a review on it.
I used this sample with my yixing pot exclusively reserved for shou puerh.

This tea is compressed pretty tight it was hard to pry the leaves apart by hand.
A nice mix of small to large leaf mostly smaller to medium sized leaves were noticed.

After I added the leaf to my warmed up yixing pot, I washed the leaves about twice.
This helped open them up and infusion with minimal steep times.
I started off gradual 3/5/8/10/15/20/25/30/60/120

A very mellow that sho wasn’t overly fishy in my opinion.
I found this tea had a gentle warmth.
It certainly helped wake me out of my sleepy morning.

This tea is my first naka but I am at least somewhat fimailar with sheng puerh.
The effects from this tea were unique. Sedative and calming.

I found the taste to be excellent. It was very smooth even with boiling water 2 liters into the session.
This sheng was sweet and rounded with an overall clean and refreshing mouthfeel.
Hands down one of my new favorites. Thanks boychik for the sample.

Tasted smooth with a fruity lingering mouthfeel.
Very enjoyable! No fishyness detected but lots of good earthy tones.