This is part of a YS sampler pack. These notes are a compilation of about 6 steeps.
Tasting details: 6grams of tea / 100ml per steep / 208 deg F / steep time starting at 20s increasing 5-10 sec with each infusion.
Color is a light orange amber. The wet tea leaves smell of cut wood and sweet hay.
Aroma of the liquid. Oak/wood scent with a touch of leather and slight sweetness (not honey, sugar, or floral).
Flavor: this tea starts extremely smooth with a slight cream flavor in the first infusion. This cream disappears in later infusions, and instead this tea starts very clean, turning into smokey oak with a touch of leather and the barest hint of sweetness. This is a viscous liquid that coats the tongue with a nice texture.
There a mild astringency that starts just after the oak, but it is not bitter; it is the astringency I associate with tannins in oak casket Scotch/Napa Valley Red wines. There is a bit of dust in this tea as it is a small sampler and part of it was somewhat crushed in transit. There was a slight bit of dust in the tea server after each pour, which could have attributed to the astringency.
This tea has an extremely long finish.
The cha Qi is mild, but consistent in nearly every single cup. By the 3rd steep, I felt heat flushed (not from the ambient temperature ) and I could feel heat rising from my chest towards my head.
Surprisingly, this is a fairly well-balanced tea esp in infusions 2-5. It’s easy to drink and super smooth.
Having said all of that, this is not quite to my preferred flavor profile but I enjoyed the experience. For anyone who likes the oaky flavor of Scotches or wine, this might be a good tea.
