I ordered this tea as a sample. I’ve been saving it for an evening after a stretch of stressful days. The dried leaves were largely intact thanks to Scott for his thoughtfully breaking off the tea leaves from the bing into flattened layers instead of thick chunks.
This is a powerful tea. Definitely something to drink without distractions. The wet leaves are highly fragrant. The tea has a wonderful body and huigan with a fruity, flowery and nectar-like sweetness for many steeps. The huigan intensifies from the 3rd steep on wards, slowly expanding in the mouth and throat with a warm flowery sweetness.
Other notes I’ve picked up are wild honey, lavender, sandal wood, dried apricot, cane sugar, minerals, and camphor. It becomes more complex and savory in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th steeps. I’m going to leave the rest to finish tomorrow otherwise I won’t be able to sleep. The tea leaves a honey-like aroma in the empty cup. I would purchase a tong if I had the cash. Teas from southern Xishuangbanna are reputed for their aging potential, and this one is definitely worth adding to any collection for current consumption of future aging.
