Hope I’m reviewing this in the correct spot. 2015 picking.
I managed to get this tea for $4.50 /25g. It was either pay $5 in shipping or get another tea. the choice was obvious.
This reminds me a lot of Yunnan Strand Green Tea from Verdant. Savory and Vegetal, with 2nd steepings and beyond prone to astringency. I’ve had this tea twice so far and here’s what I found (essentially Verdant’s recommendations with modifications) Always 8oz:
1st steep: 20sec, 175F water: savoury/vegetal/buttery; very tasty!
2nd steep: 30sec, 160F: savoury but a bit astringent. Still managed to drink the cup down, but a reduction in temp would be better.
3rd steep: 50sec; left my cup of 160F water cooling down for 2min before steeping (unsure of exact temp): smooth, a bit vegetal, only a slight bit of astringency left from previous steep.
Overall I do enjoy this tea but I think I’m going to start really playing around with teas that are prone to astringency (like gyokuro, yunnan, this tea…anything “tippy” really). I’ve read that, really, gyokuro and similar teas should be brewed at like 140 F- much cooler than the lowest temp on my kettle (160F). I also just bought “The tea enthusiast handbook” (which I’ve read previously from the library last year) and plan on refreshing my knowledge of different types of tea. I don’t buy a lot of books (why buy when you can get them for free?) but this is one where it would be very beneficial to have laying around for reference.
Flavors: Butter, Vegetal
Update: been doing steepings (1st and subsequent) all at 175F without bitterness. I think I was overleafing maybe? The taste is nice and vegetal. I’m uping this rating.