I rated this tea highly in the past but was a bit disappointed this time. It’s possible that poor storage is to blame, I have had the foil pack in my closet for a couple of years, and am trying to sip down those older samples.
1st steep (10s): Nice big leaves. Smooth, but very light in flavor. Nice texture in the mouth, and some complexity. 2nd (10s): Better but still understated. No flaws, but still disappointing, However, as I drink the finish is becoming more interesting: very long and powerful with nice spicy flavors. 3rd(10s): Much stronger flavor, with an astringent woodiness. Great finish and I’m feeling the cha qi. Still not much nose. Late steeps were less interesting.
Overall, the tea was very smooth and approachable, but not very powerful. I suspect it might be a good candidate for the “mom test”. I’d been considering buying a cake but decided to pass. My rating of 89 is an average of several sessions, ranging from 91 to 87.
