From the Pu’erh Plus TTB (last sample). My second Huang Pian. Still in new territory.
Brewed in a ceramic gaiwan. Gave the leaf a flash rinse and a 5-minute rest. Steeping times: 8, 10, 10, 10, 8, 20, 20, 30, 30, 45; 1 minute, 1’ 30’’, 2, 4, 9.
I couldn’t smell anything from the dry leaf, grass at best. The leaf does have an aroma after sitting in the pre-heated gaiwan – apricot, white sugar – though it is weak. The wet leaf aroma, in contrast, is far stronger, smelling of apricot and white grapes.
The soup looks like Welsher’s white grape juice. (I forgot to take note of body – it’s been days since I had this session). The first infusion tastes like a second rinse – far too weak to determine anything about taste and texture. I still don’t taste much in the second infusion, but I do get notes of what I tasted in W2T’s 2014 Huang Pian: marshmallow root and vanilla. Also a similar huigan. The third infusion has a thick and smooth texture, and feels buzzy.
Still light in flavor……I up the temperature to boiling. The fourth infusion tastes the same (sweet, marshmallow root, vanilla) but has a silky texture. There is a change in 5 and 6, which are delicate, floral, and wispy. No change in flavor intensity. I decide to go back to my initial temperature (200), if this is what I’m getting out of Fade. Infusions 7 through 12 are exactly like 5 and 6 in taste and feel. I’m liking this wispy quality. It’s like airy but cloudier. My teeth feel smooth.
No change in 13 and 14 except for the menthol note that appears in the huigan. There has been huigan during the entirety of the session.
Having just my second Huang Pian, I can’t make conclusions, as the sessions with this and W2T’s other Huang Pian were educational. I found out I like stronger flavors in young sheng. I’m curious about aged Huang Pian.
