2017 She's Not Me

She’s Not Me is a very consistent tea with a Bu Lang character. Some of the material seems a little aged, but not a large percentage. Nevertheless, the tea is not overly rough or abrasive. All in all though, I just don’t find it exciting enough to justify the price.

The aroma is sweet and herbaceous with notes of fermented fruits (sea buckthorn juice), sunflowers, thyme and lemon balm. First infusion is already quite viscous with a colloidal mouthfeel. The taste is citrusy and displays a nice sweet finish. Later steeps get more savoury and herbaceous, until the fruitiness reappears after the peak. There are flavours such as those of sunflower and anise seeds, sugarcane, butter, wood, cantaloupe, and spices.

The mouthfeel is generally very nice and foamy. After swallowing there is a prolonged biting and after a few minutes also throat-cooling sensation. The cha qi is energizing and dizzying, but not the most memorable.

Very balanced and elegant. It’s simultaneously sweet and bitter, but neither is overwhelming. The bitterness needs deciphering to register, unlike other bitter teas that hit you in the face or have a returning kuwei. The sweetness and bitterness go very well together to produce a fruity and slightly floral harmony. Kinda like biting into a not-yet ripe peach.
The tastes also last many sessions without obvious changes (to me). I like it.