The main characteristics of this tea are fruity, herbaceous, mineral and alcohol like. Personally, I didn’t get much butter out of it. It has some bitterness and astringency like one would expect from a Dan Cong, but it’s not overwhelming.
The wet leaf smell reminds me of an alpine meadow in its floral and herbal realm, with some fruity (mostly peach & nectarine) aromas on top. Taste is tart, juicy and mineral overall. There are notes of dry grass, lavender, apricot and pear skin. There is also a strong herbaceous aspect to it that reminds me of Provence. The aftertaste is very long, floral and drying. It doesn’t present many new notes, but they come in different combinations. I found it somewhat sour and reminiscent of peach and lavender for the most part.
Liquor is medium bodied, soft and smooth. Not as thick as some other Dan Cong oolongs, which makes it easier to drink I guess.
Overall, this tea is VERY similar to Zhong Ping “Jasmine Aroma” from YS. So much so, that I am not sure I would be able to discern them unless drunk side by side. This one is surely more fruity, otherwise, the qualities are very comparable, both in terms of character and how enjoyable it is. However, the difference is that the YS one is less than half the price. It’s a great tea (I am a sucker for Dan Cong, mind), but I would take the Jasmine Aroma from YS anytime over this though, given the price difference.
Flavors: Alcohol, Apricot, Astringent, Bitter, Cactus Flowers, Dry Grass, Floral, Herbaceous, Lavender, Mineral, Peach, Pear, Pleasantly Sour, Smooth, Stonefruit, Tart
