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2016 Sheng Olympics

Steeped leaves have a slightly vegetal smell about them, first few infusions are really light, a bit sweet, a bit cucumber, fresh taste. I really like the aroma in the aftertaste, something about it was just really pleasant and right – in fact its here right now, Its sweet & fruit & floral all in one, Its really nice! It keeps changing as well, sometimes I think I can place what it is and then it goes away. I just tasted pineapples i think, maybe thats the lemongrass note mentioned.

I pushed it a bit and didnt get sourness or bitterness, always a fresh taste, reminded me of decent mountain water. Always light, a little sweetness, a little leafy, a little citrus or lemongrass and that same lovely after-aroma.

Ive just looked and these are all sold out. Really happy I got to try it, nice on LP for organising this.

This was an interesting one. I dont have any experience with sheng blends. It wasnt bitter like a straight raw that I am used to, more like an oolong. Creamy taste, and the bitterness when even a second or so too much was more in line with dan cong oil bitter, rather than fresh leaf sharp bitter.

It tasted muted, not like there is no flavour, more like if you messed up a landscape oil painting, you would get dull greens and browns, rather than the lively bright greens and distinctive sharper flavours of sheng I am usually drinking.

cha qi is nice as well. I am relaxed and dont feel my heart racing a lot. I like this tea!

Yes to the cream notes. I didnt seem to get as much honey as has been described, my opinion is its also a bit.. doughy? like bread mix? cookie mix? a little nutty in there as well. deep slightly bitter leafy Leafy taste, for sure, this flavour is sitting on my tongue. Olive oil? not really but its a bit like this, a hard one to place.

An interesting tea, this has spurred me on to try more blends out. I am thinking something was blended to make the tea less lively? Its a subject I need to look into, anyway.

Thanks for the sample Rui! :)

edit* changed score because I really like this one. Cant stop thinking about it now :)

This stuff is lovely. Stewed apricots and cream, maybe apple sauce as well. Nice warming cha qi & beautiful aroma that is very dan cong oolong (reminds me of a ba xian I have), slightly cashew nut, medium thickness & drying of the mouth with some cooling of the lips, although not strong menthol. I was surprised to get an oolong oilyness, this tea is 100% up my street.

Pleasing in every way. It is soft and velvety and unlike any sheng I have tasted up until now. Drank it all day, lost count of the number of steeps I had but the first third of the session were the ones for me.

gorgeous stuff, nicest sheng I have had to date I think.

Thanks Rui A for this lovely sample :)

2016 sheng olympics. After my run-in with this ones younger brother (qi overload sent me to sleep after the 4th/5th steep, it hit me so nicely) I was expecting this one to be as strong, for me it wasnt as hard hitting, but crept up over the day.

Deeper aroma, still stonefruit but with a slight cooling menthol. Again I feel warm. Also some slight wet pile or leaves & twigs in there. Sweet nose makes it more like apricot & raspberry jam aroma.

Steep three, lovely taste. its less fussy being older, can take a bit more time with the brew. Even a bit of butter or milk was wrapped up in a tingling dry nommy mouthfeel.

Later steeps I pushed it a lot, revealing honey aroma with some sour from the pushing, i dont like to say bread, but something like that. maybe its yeasty? idk.

What I love about these two are that the stimulant effect is balanced nicely with the sedative effect, my mind felt clear but fuzzy. Its a nice feeling.

even later steeps I kept leaving in the gaiwan for ages and a pleasant soft sourness prevailed.

Nice stuff

Got me very tea drunk, so much that by steep two my legs were warm and by steep four or five I actually fell asleep. At midday. So then I woke in a haze and drank more and the rest of the day was a bit of a blur. I was coherent but thinking back I cant really remember what I did apart from watch korean gangster movies. I certainly didnt take any notes.

Sweet lively apricotty younger brother.

It was never unpleasant, I know that! :)

gulp.

Second steep in my legs have gone very warm and my head feels wavy. Its going to be one of those teas isnt it.

Proper review later if I dont lose the damn thing

I now think steepster is eating reviews too. Not like me to not review a tea I have almost finished a month after it has arrived.. Im sure reviewed this one before. Oh well.

recently ive been hitting it with lower temperatures, like 70c and getting a really pleasant pear & apple aroma & taste. still white, and slightly citrusy, people say hay but i get something else, but defo like a nice white wine. iirc this one can get slighty bitter notes if oversteeped, will have to retry this and report. I think it can take multiple steeps well, losing the citrus edge but still nice.

Really enjoyed it today (and other days) although to me its not the strongest ying zhen I have had before for pure floral, or subtle divine flavour which I have experienced before.

it has smaller tighter more yellow leaf, isnt green & white fluff, but totally enjoyable if you like a touch of zest in there. (something to do with it being the autumn harvest? i dont know)

really nice to drink. more relaxing, nice qi for me.