Dark dried leaves are largely intact and spindly. I placed 7 grams in a 100 ml gaiwan and allowed the leaves steeped after the rinse to sit for a few mins. Steeped leaves are highly fragrant—ripe grapes and star fruit. Initial steeps are very fruity and rose-y (like rose hips). That robust purple pu’er tea astringency is almost absent in the medley of sweet flavors. It remains a delicate tea with an almost decadent mouth feel and gentle, but very present, cha qi. While this one is much softer and approachable than the Dehong purple tea, I actually prefer the latter for its sharper notes.
Edit: Having tried this several times, I figured out why I prefer the Dehong purple over this one. I actually dislike that unique (kind of herbal) flavor present in all purple pu’er. This flavor seems to stand out more in the Wuliang due to the lack of sharp bitterness that is present in the Dehong. While tasty in its own right, and despite my positive review, I’m not a fan of this tea.
