I’ve kept a sample of this around for a couple of years while waiting to do a direct comparison with 2015, which I finally got around to today. If anything, the website seems to understate the increase in bitterness for the 2017; the initial steep was a lovely mix of lightly Menghai bitterness with a strong sweetness. Then I pushed the second steep to a whole five seconds, and the bitterness took a commanding hold. By judiciously controlling the steep times, I kept the bitterness in check until the sweetness came back out in the later steeps. Regardless, though, the tea’s durability is formidable, and there’s a recurring sweetness in the back of the throat that I really appreciate. This is good tea, and I look forward to the final session of my sample, though I plan to approach it much more gingerly.
Boiling
5 g
3 OZ / 75 ML