2005 Yang Qing Hao "Yiwu Cha Wang Gushu" Raw

Thanks to R2 for the sample via Hou De!

2005 Yang Qing Hao Yiwu Cha Wang

7.2g, 90 mL gaiwan, 212f Brita filtered tap

Seems to be one of the less popular YQHs, so curious to see how it is.

Dry: a sour woodiness, maybe some leather and mushroom

In prewarmed gaiwan: stronger sour mushroom note

15s rinse

Wet: smoky, woody, slight sweet

8s: sour and bitter, resolving into mushroom initially and then light minty sweetness in throat, w/ slightly floral aspect. Reminding me of the jincha aftertaste from my session with that a while back. Slight heady feeling. Good texture.

8s: similar, stronger bitterness in an almost aspirin-like way. Stronger sourness stuck on tongue like the time I tried the 06 Double Lion, but neither as lasting nor as gripping. Aftertaste is the floral minty, but doesn’t hit throat as much.

16s: still good texture, woodier in taste. Bitterness initially like aspirin, but also like oversteeped jasmine tea. Very mushroomy in taste, slightly in aftertaste with the lighter floral backdrop

45s: pretty bitter in aged medicinal way + mushroom, w/ slight floral aftertaste. Not as good on texture.

1 min: dying off it seems. Drinkable, but not notable, classic aged sheng taste.

1 min.: definitely weaker

Thermos’d the rest. Was admittedly very tired and fairly distracted during today’s session with it being midterms and all, but this was disappointing and felt weak even though I went in with low expectations knowing that it’s one of the least liked YQHs. At any rate, current price from YQH price list of $340 for 500g is totally baffling given how it performs more or less like the jincha.

Thermos overnight: quite bitter, undertones of the sweet floral and mushroom, but very much caffeinated w jitters in effect

Sample from Liquid Proust. Moderate composted leaf litter and dampness on a stone aroma. Initial sweetness and light thickness in the first few steeps, but it doesn’t seem very distinct, maybe a hint of distant smoke, a cursory lick of light acidity. Needs to be pushed and hollows out very quickly. It’s one of the first shengs that tastes a little bit like modern shu, with some of the zookplantoniferous “wo dui” in a few places. Woody is probably the only shining quality here. This is what I think happens when you store mediocre sheng for 13 years and what I fear will become of all my teas in a dry climate, plainly woody and hollow. I feel that perhaps this sample may not have been stored well for some chunk of its life.

YQH teas are not inexpensive; however, this tea is a relatively modest cost of $0.39 per gram (500g cake). I made my purchase last year and was fortunate enough to pay $0.35/g. With eleven years of age and pure Yiwu gushu material, this is a very good price! Lots and lots of beautiful whole leaves (but also stems and broken pieces as well). Bright and clear golden tea liquor. Floral/fruity aroma and a very sweet/mellow sip. Good longevity – I can easily go 10-11 infusions and I usually give up before the leaf does. The qi is also there but it is a gentle qi – evoking what I can best describe as a thoughtful meditative state. Nice daily drinker for me and I have successfully shared with non-tea drinking guests.

She handed it to me with two hands. “ooh,” I thought, “This is special tea”. So it’s one of the first I’m trying from the batch shared with me, and I’ve left the first steep off to the side to resteep a few times tomorrow.

First off: leather. I get that more than anything here, both in smell and taste. It even has the velvety leather feel to it that I’d imagine what drinking leather should be like (but probably isn’t). It’s super comforting and rich, and more than surprised me. I also didn’t get much else out of this first steep, even though leather was a new one for me, and a surprising like at that.

An enormous thanks to shezza for sharing some of her favorite teas with me, this being one of them. Eternally grateful and appreciative!

I am so glad that picked some of this up! Also, I am the first to review, which is always exciting. Once I got my package in the mail, I immediately took this and placed it in my storage to decompress from its long travel. Today I decided to open it up and give it a shot. The dry leaf is so light and flaky, but I can easily spot massive intact leaves. These decade old leaves give off an aged, slight menthol scent mixed well with some fruity tones. I placed a generous amount in my warmed jianshui and gave it a shake. The scent was very heavy and spiced. I was catching whiffs of leather, slight smoke, tobacco and decayed wood. I let these beauties sit for a bit, and then I prepared for brewing. The steeped leaves smelled relatively like the warmed ones, except the scents became deeper and spicier. The taste was unbelievable! This drink fills the mouth with a heavy liquid. The tongue is soothed, the taste buds are stimulated, and the throat is warmed. I loved it! The huigan was thick and lasting. The taste begins with calm leather, nectar, and a juicy sensation. The liquor itself smelled fantastic! I was reminded of Tahitian Vanilla Beans; the aroma was so creamy and rich. The creme flavor came about by the second steeping. The texture was smooth and silky and easily filled the senses. I was struck by tongue prickling and my hair on my head began to rise. The qi was a steady electricity coursing throughout my veins. A slight sour tone appeared in the background by the third steeping, and it grew consistently over time. The gorgeous cream note is replaced by a tantalizing leather and wood by the sixth steeping. The brew begins to show its age in later steeping with the dominating tones being leather, dark wood, tobacco, and a slight bitter. However, the liquor keeps its consistent vanilla aroma. The qi is quite powerful and all body encompassing. I was alert, happy, and giggly. The qi is centered at the head and creates a lot of pressure on the mind and temples. I absolutely loved this deep bronze colored drink. There were so many different scents encompassing this session. The leaves with their spice, the drink with its sweetness, and the taste with its power. I loved how intricate this tea is. I’m really glad that I have some of this. I’m going to let the rest store for a little more longer and compare notes. This is truly a King Tea!

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