This is the second sheng I have drank from Farmerleaf. I like this tea. It started out very smooth and with no bitterness. But the leaves had yet to open up. It was a very densely packed cake. When the leaves opened up around steep three the bitterness too over. This was not the sort of bitterness I call an abiding bitterness but it was the dominant flavor for a few steeps. I would say the bitterness persisted until about steep seven. After this a smooth note took over that was not quite apricots but almost. It was definitely a sweet note of a young sheng, one peculiar to young sheng that I am not really certain what is the best description for. There was also a mild amount of astringency to this tea. Judging from the sample, this is a good one to buy if you want to drink it now. I have no way to know how it might age. As they are a new company they don’t yet sell anything aged to my knowledge.
I steeped this teat twelve times in a 150ml gaiwan with 8g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, and 2 min. The tea would have gone past twelve steeps it was not yet watery but I was at my caffeine limit.
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Sweet
