Drank the 2011 version of this last night from YS tea club. It was quite full and yielded 8 hefty and flavorful brews with a moderate qi before needing long brews. Lots of woody/ bitter cacao flavors with a creamy sweetness. Good but not amazing mouth characteristics. Well balanced and powerful enough that I think it will improve over the next 10 years. I’d need to sample it a few more times before deciding whether or not I would purchase it. *after second sampling – I wouldn’t purchase this but its good.
4/12/16 100 ml gaiwan 8 grams – second time sampling. Classic Jing Mai not “Jing mai Mountain Old Arbor” – I’ll move the review soon.
very tippy blend, lots of small leaves. The aroma is heavy, pungently earthy with a woody top note.
wet leaves are woody with a slight medicinal note. The first brew is woody and med+ bodied with a nice creaminess and a smooth cacao bitterness. Earthy tones are present but nice and subtle.
The second brew has the slightest sour wood/plum flavor up front but pleasantly fades back into much the same as the first brew.
Third – No sour note, smooth at first and then builds on the palate getting more full bodied over time. Still has a bit of cacao bitterness to it which shifts to creaminess in the mouth. woodiness is shifting towards a hint of pine. still has some earthy tones but the whole thing is becoming more balanced and focused. Hint of minerality on the finish, with a light sweetness. faintest hint of leather/incense in the form of a drying spice like note.
4th&5th – lighter color. clearer woody notes, very creamy, losing its bitterness. Finish still has a lot of body and cooling.
6, 7,8th- Started long brewing, 8th brew was about 15 minutes and still had some substance but not enough to call for a nineth brew.
Overall a mostly clean, well priced shu with a med-full body, woody profile, and creaminess. Starts off with a decent bit of heft but dies down quicker than I had hoped.
