Shan Lin Xi 2015 Winter Pluck

Received two ounces of this free with my recent Tea Trekker order. This is overall a very good tea. There was no bitterness to this tea. Despite it being a “green” oolong there was no grassy or vegetal taste. It was perhaps the sweetest oolong I can remember drinking. I have been trying to think of how to describe the sweet notes and am at a loss. They are kind of fruity but with a mineral taste I think. There was also a slight sour note to the first infusion that didn’t last too long. This. however might not have been the tea but what I was eating before I drank the tea. I had just finished some hummus and that might have contributed to the sour note. Regardless this is an excellent tea. It is apparently not available for sale on their website. When I put it in the catalog I had to use the picture for the same tea but spring pluck. The tea has quite a potent mouthfeel and a strong aftertaste. I can taste the tea even when not drinking it and suspect I will for a couple of hours. This is one sweet tea. I feel as if I have added sugar to the tea but I haven’t. It is that sweet.

I steeped this tea eight times in a 120ml gaiwan with 8.1g leaf and 190 degree water. I gave it a 10 second rinse and a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, and 30 sec. I should note that the website calls for starting with 30 second steeps but I think it was just right with short steeps.