Deep Baked Wenshan Bao Zhong Tea, Lot 585

This deep baked baozhong hits the senses strikingly like a qilan rock oolong, though it exhibits more of the grassy/plant stem/banana leaf greenness of Taiwanese oolongs than a light-roasted Wuyi qilan can offer. Rich milk chocolate and caramel aroma of the dry leaf, with hints of charred wood and dill, yields to the roast and spice bread after warming and rinsing. The strength of the tea lies in its dense and heady chocolate and floral aromatics which are less expressed as pure flavor. There is some alkalinity from the roast in the first few steeps and pleasing astringency throughout. Roasty, floral and mineral sweet with a peach impression. Lingering fragrance in the mouth and light yet long banana leaf and sugared peach gummi aftertaste that later hints at buttery osmanthus. Somewhat cooling, alpine feel.

Deeply relaxing tea, so much that I forewent trying the remainder of my sample both western and grandpa. This tea lends itself very well to evening gongfu sessions. Either the caffeine content is low and/or the high, creamy florals lull me into not noticing or caring.

All through this week into my days off on Sunday and Monday, the weather should be cool and cloudy with some rain. This is the perfect spring weather to sample my other baozhong oolong of varying roast levels and to sipdown the last of the pure green stuff I have.

Song pairing: Placebo — Haemoglobin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuvD4d80vJ0
Shoot, maybe all of the Black Market Music album. One of those nights.

Simply scrumptious! Never had roasted/baked Bao Zhong before. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear this was a Dan Cong. Large twisted dark brown black leaves with flecks of green. Wet leaf smell of baked chocolate chip cookies and floral bouquet. The flavor has almond, butter, florals, and a sweetness that is dry in nature. Steeped 10/15/20/30/40/60/90 then flavors drop off. Been looking to settle down with my tea buying, you know choose a red, oolong, pu erh and stick with it and wasn’t really prepared to like this so much. Indeed I will now have to have more of this beauty.