392 Tasting Notes
One of the better products of my grandpa’ing this week. Didn’t get bitter, lasted through several water additions when the soup started getting too strong. Not my favorite way to drink it (the lilac was there, but not the gong fu BOOSH BOOSH LILAC), but a nice way to get through class today.
Sipdown, as I took my last brick to a class I’m taking this week. I steeped it grandpa for the morning. Unremarkable brewed this way — initial steeps were too strong, and later steeps very weak. In a narrow metal tumbler, I just didn’t find much to appreciate beyond the fact that I’m happier when I’m drinking tea than not.
Okay. I thought I’d brew this up after my session with the lightly roasted version earlier today and try to put some words around how it misses the mark that the light roast hits so well (for me).
The wispy green/jade/vegetal/grassy notes seem to tamp out the floral/butter/cream roundedness that the light-roasted version blossoms into so beautifully. Every steep sort of tastes muted and watery, like an anticipatory rinse that never quite arrives at Second Steep Magic™. I am tempted to experiment with wok-kissing this at home… those notes are in there, I’m sure of it, but need the lid taken off.
Like petting a cat through a duvet.
Flavors: Grass, Green, Vegetal, Watery
A day of yummy tea and a lazy brain. Tired lass.
I officially love sticky rice scented teas. The oolong I had from Alistair, and now this puer: hoo, yum. I gong fu’d this despite it being a tea bag with western parameters stamped on its packaging; I would not recommend a rinse on this one, because it comes out of the gate so so beautifully. The interplay between the sticky rice notes and the foresty puerh is a delight.
These little packets from Teavivre are terribly unassuming, with plainish packaging and leaves broken to bits, but the two I’ve had from ashmanra — thank you for yet another good time — have both been very distinct in character and really just lovely. I’m a baby puer drinker, but the delicacy and flavor precision easily stands up to any loose/caked puer I’ve had.
The puer is lasting longer than the rice, unsurprisingly — but I’m on steep six and the brew, though changing, still has plenty of character.
In other news, I ordered a couple cheapy gaiwans to start playing with smaller volumes and less leaf (been using a 160ml ceramic gaiwan-ish pot up to this point). Some of the teas I’m staring down feel precious, so being able to use less leaf for a session is super appealing. Cutting down on liquid and caffeine consumption per session means I can fit more teas into a day, too, which is thumbs up all around. I’m sc’ited!
Flavors: Creamy, Forest Floor, Rice, Umami
I typically use pots between 80 and 120 ml, though I also have two 30 ml clay pots that I use to compare expensive teas. In my books, smaller usually = better. :)
Glad you liked it!
30ml, whoa! Where did you source those?
I’ve definitely been window shopping clay…
I had found myself taking a bit of a break from high mountain oolongs, for whatever reason, but reached for this sample for a lazy morning outside. I did pick up What-Cha’s regular (ie. non-light-roasted) Shan Lin Xi a couple months ago, and have continually put off making notes on it — I’ve sadly found myself just a little disappointed each time I drink it.
This little lovely, though… all the perfect butter and florals and mouthfeel. Alistair’s note includes balsam, and I’d agree there, too. It doesn’t look much different from the unroasted upon visual inspection — but what a treat and education, to be so surprised by what a tiny bit of roast can do to elevate these little green nugs.
Thank you, derk!
Flavors: Butter, Creamy, Floral
