2014 Dayi Lao Cha Tou Ripe Tea Brick

Brewed in a Nixing 125mm pot with a 5s pour and I used 10g. Flushed once.

First impressions are good, it reminds me of the V93 (also Dayi, so no surprise) which I’ve been drinking. The leaves on this smell of vanilla and autumn leaf pile. There is a thick mouthfeel which is creamy and smooth; reminiscent of oat-milk or rice-milk. Light hints of brown sugar that never really fully appear.

Zero ‘Wo Dui’ smell (or taste) and a very clear/clean broth which starts out copper. It gets darker quick, to a reddish soy-sauce territory on steep 3-4 (I’m still only steeping for 8 secs there).

A ‘starchy’ rich and malty ‘red bean’ (or Asian yam) taste rises up. It’s not quite savoury, but neither is it sweet. The leaf has a woodland smell, still with a distant waft of sweet vanilla. That woodiness is entering the flavour of the tea (steep 5 or so), not camphor or pine, just a pulpy hardwood log in the autumn leaf mulch.

Still, no bitterness and still milky in the mouthfeel.

This now is apparently where it sits and just keeps chugging for a while (still going on steep 10).

A nice shu. Comforting like a warm hug.

4-stars again (would recommend). Notably smooth stuff. With the buttery mouthfeel and hint of vanilla, I can’t help thinking I’d like to add some maple syrup…

Again a revision – drank this yesterday and used 5.4 gm in about 8 – 10oz of water. The tea has really changed. It was deeper, richer, darker and held up nicely under multiple steeps. Putting the rest away again and will try it over the summer to taste how time has worked its magic.

OK; time to revise my impressions of this brick. Tried it again tonight. Used a little over 6gm and about 100ml of water. I can see some potential in this tea. The little bricks are about 11gm each and you probably need to use a whole one for a session. There is still some fermentation flavor but I don’t mind it. I like the direction it’s going in and it might eventually get there. Still reluctant to give it a numerical rating but also not committed enough to “recommend” it; but I want to be fair to the tea ;). I had to push the steep to a whole minute so I think this tea might work as a western brew with half a little brick; although not ruling out gong fu with lots of tea to water ratio.

Just received 2 100gm bricks of this today. I was very excited to brew up a square and experience a rich, sweet, wonderful Dayi shou experience… unfortunately, that’s not what happened. I found it disappointingly flat, cloudy and devoid of flavor. I’ve loved Red Rhyme and V93. Of course those had some years on them (2010 & 2011) but can’t imagine time will rescue these from their blahness. Maybe I’m wrong and time will bring these bricks to their full potential… so back in the cupboard they go. Plenty of other teas to try in the meant time; I’ll refrain from giving this tea a numerical rating for the time being.

Ok… and we’re back. I let this sit over night and then steeped. What a difference. now it’s clearer, deeper in color and thickness and tasting in the right direction, while still not brimming over with flavor. I now have hope this tea will eventually be worthwhile.