Had a gongfu session with a ceramic gaiwan. One 5-second rinse. Steeping times:. 2, 2, 5, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 35, 75.
The dry aroma has delectable notes of lychee and red grapes, and the aroma of the leaf after the rinse smells more intensely of grapes, and of also wet rocks and maybe stonefruit.
The color of white grape juice sits in my cup. The liquor is not completely clear (wouldn’t say foggy or murky, just not clear), but the last couple infusions eventually become so. Full-bodied. Mellow, smooth, easy to drink. The first and second infusions are heavy on the mineral side and leave behind a tingling sensation. After that, the flavors don’t evolve throughout the session. Each infusion is consistently fruity, with notes similar to that of the aromas – grapes, lychee, etc.
Once on the tongue, that is. Seconds later, if I let the liquor sit in my mouth, a heavy roasted quality and bitter taste settle in, and these merge with the juicy flavors. Incongruous. Only the first two and last two infusions had not such bitterness. Could be due to personal taste, or possibly the brewing temp. Still, I decided to keep it consistent rather than lower it partway through the session. I wasn’t completely displeased, and it this does a nice, relaxing effect.
