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There is this time in spring when jasmine bushes and bird cherry blooms and the scent is so thick you can drink it. The first thought when sipping this tea was that now I truly can. Completely different from Verdant’s TGY with its buttery/floral backgound this one is like a cup of flower essence.

Only one thing to say here: If you can afford it – buy a higher grade from the same seller. Imperial/Nonpareil are THAT much better than this one.

Wow. This tea is like drinking a liquid nectar where tea’s astringency is an undertone, not sweetness. Definitely deserves its grade.

Ugh… this is horrible >_< Teavivre’s teas are mostly a miss for me, but this one is so disgusting I cannot even smell it much less drink.

Some completely alien flavor is strongly present in the smell of this tea and, after tasting it, it immediately becomes apparent that it smells like that for a reason.

Probably a bit too subtle for me…

Looks like a cross between Da Wu Ye and sweeter Dancongs but neither sweetness not floral bitterness are very bright. The liquid is also a very slight yellow color.

Certainly not something I’d want to have on my shelf in any meaningful quantities. Dancongs are a big hit or a big miss for me it seems. Either I love then, or I couldn’t care.

Even more fragrant than Imperial Grade of Mi Lan. Its fragrance is more flowery than sweet though.

The tea itself is of color of liquid honey and is a rather pleasantly sweet. I imagine it can be steeped for longer time than Imperial as it has no bitterness at all.

Strangely enough – I like lower grade better :) This is of course a great tea, but Imperial grade’s taste is rather unique and quite a lot more interesting.

I can’t set steeping time lower than 15 sec so I mark it here :
this tea requires VERY short steeping time of probably 1-3 seconds for an infusion

Ahhhhh…. The aroma of the dry leaves of this tea is truly heavenly. Thick, overpowering scent of honey that won’t even let you brew it for a minute or so because you just can’t stop enjoying it :)

I am always amazed at how unflavored, unblended dancong tea can smell so good and this one is truly a pinnacle of this quality. Even last year’s Huang Zhi Xiang from the same company pales in comparison.

The taste is really heavy and bitter with sweet hints so very short steepings of a few seconds are advisable (bitterness isn’t overpowering then). I’d say this tea is much like wine – it’s bitterness is mature and isn’t offputting at all if you just remember to pour it out almost immediately. The advice stands even for later infusions – i am currently at 5th and 2 seconds still produce very strong flavor.

Really nice. I already love Yue Guang Bai but the type I am used to is a bit rough. As in – quite nice but not exactly perfect as you always feel that the taste is slightly over the top and just a little less of whatever that is will only make it better.

Which is exactly the case with this pressing – sweet and refined but not overly strong. I love it. I hope David finds enough of this to sell on the site normally.

And, oh, does it resteep… >_< I went up to maybe 10th or more

If only the taste of the first steep stayed…

The first one, when the tea is not yet uncurled and moistered eniugh, is simply godly. The taste is very interesting and complex.

Then… harshness kicks… and I am not sure it is controllable to produce anything comparable to 1st. And this turns it from godly to average… :(

A rather complex taste and unlike other shengs I tried, nice and sweet.

I tried comparing the smell of the leaves to other shengs I have and where they are dominant, this one is gentle. Probably this is what “maturity” means for a sheng.

Strange thing though – while certainly interesting, I still don’t particularly like shengs, this included :) Either it’s our water or I am just not compatible.