Gong fu sytle in a 5oz gaiwan.
Dry Leaf – Chocolate, Oolong plum like scent, caramel/vanilla.
Wet Leaf – Plum Oolong, smoky chocolate, caramel, with sesame undertone; honey and vanilla scent from the lid.
1st Steep – Plummy and wine like with slight honey sweetness that turns smokey and chocolately. It has a clean mouth feel with plum after taste.
2nd Steep – Lid smells nutty with sesame undertone and strong warm honey smell. Plummy wine like taste with slightly smoky body, Mi Lan Xian/Keemum Mao Feng wine like aftertaste.
3rd Steep – Strong honey smell from the lid followed by plum essence nuttiness almost depleted. Honey taste with plum and some vanilla.
4th Steep – Floral plum with honey undertone and plum aftertaste. Slight vanilla scent and Honey, slight astringency present.
5th Steep – plum with floral aftertaste; Honey sweetness is faded with vanilla undertone and slightly nutty smoky background.
Overall to me this was an OK tea, It seemed to me like a Mi Lan Xiang that tried to become a Da Hong Pao(Big Red Robe) but remained within the plumminess of the Mi Lan Xiang. I wouldn’t really classify this one as a black tea, in fact the only hints of black tea for me were the initial chocolate taste and the wine like taste in the later steeps (almost like a Keemung Mao Feng) but it then turns more plum tasting like an Oolong.
Worth a try, good quality tea.