2003 Manzhuan

CYH 2003 Manzhuan

I bought a QC of this from TWL from a while back, but I couldn’t access my teaware all summer, and have been busy since school started so am just getting to this today. Have already had caffeine today, but am especially sad after being rejected from a position I really wanted and did everything I could reasonably do to get, and so it’s a 5 PM tea kind of day. Alas.

5.5g, 90 mL gaiwan, Brita tap, boiling

After rinse, wet leaf smells especially bready. Slightly sweet and woody smoke, barest touch of dried fruit. I went in expecting fireworks, but it’s just a sort of expansive calming, like a hug. I don’t think I’ll bother to type up my notes on this. Did not seem to change much over the course of the session, and taste is not particularly notable, but very approachable. Mostly lightly woody, with very slight bitterness to first steep that disappeared in subsequent steeps unless really pushed in terms of steep duration. Some tongue numbing and green tea reminiscent edge to some steeps. The aftertaste is strongly peachy, and was really enjoyable. Good texture as well. Maybe I’ll regret saying this in a few years, but given the price, I have mixed feelings and am on the fence about caking.

Edit: Thermos is nice. Just woody, and a deeper floral that’s heavily reminiscent of jasmine tea.