I’m always fascinated by other people’s tasting notes.
I did notice a bit of a hint of smoke on the dry leaf, but beyond that point I haven’t found it to be present again.
In fact, the wet leaf and fresh cup were, for me, redolent with all the tell tale notes of a Yunnan golden tea. I actually went and double checked the bag to be sure I wasn’t half asleep and brewing the wrong tea.
In the cup I get a teensy bit of that Yunnan sweetness but it is more than managed by a big whallop of assam like astringency. Not that “oh no I over steeped it” bite that puckers your sucker, just that lingering dry mouth that has you reaching for another sip over and over again.
There is an earthiness here that is completely distinct from a pu-erh. Not old, musty loam, more of a fresh, black top soil during a gentle rain.
I find myself wishing I’d done an even shorter steep in the hopes that it would have allowed for quite a few rounds on these leaves.
