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Killer good. Very sweet, lots of camphor, durable, mediciny, rich. Looks like hell. The richest tasting Wuliang Mt product I’ve tasted.

A few months after my original review, I find this tea to be almost perfect.
Very Wu-liang Mt at the outset and then flowery beyond the beyond, a sensation that build and lingers.

Smoky sugar, throat pleasure
Medium-light body to this treasure.
Quick infusion, there’s no confusion
I’m a shoddy tea poet.

5.5g in 120ml yixing 5sec infusions. Gifted by fellow Steepstarian. By about the fourth infusion, my heart was going pitter patter. The smoke seems to be at its height, whereas earlier infusions just that “solid goodness” was the prevailing impression, reminiscent of the ‘13 LaomanE Bulang Special. This one gets much more bitter, with a greater tingle and attack on the tongue, both in the liquor and huigan. Didn’t pick up any metalic. Sweet fades to bitter in this one, with smoke playing the most prominent role. Great for cloudy, cooler days.

2012 “Fu” as in some kinda fragrance not “lucky,” CNNP Kunming Tea Factory. It’s been a rough week fellow Steepstarians, been battling one helluvan organic illness, from which I slowly started to climb on Thurs. Still this lingering headache. I was well enough to host the Mid-Autumn party of about nine on Sat. It was a good time of conversation, Xi-gui sampling, and… mooncakes.

I’ll admit, I’m writing this a bit buzzed from the “Fu,” the fragrant type. I think I wrote a note on this when I first tried it, when it was just brash. A few mths of about 75% humidity and 25 temp, and it has mellowed a bit. It has that classic build in the mouth and heat mid chest to let you know it’s good stuff.
This time, I’m noticing much more smoke in the aroma of the leaves. It settles nicely in the broth, which got v. quick infusions. A light liquor in terms of color and viscosity. I’m still not thinking straight, my tongue still feels strange. No mediciney notes to this. Lots of cane juice or rock sugar to it. If you over steep, you’ll get the bitter and a brassier brew. It’s beyond the “ba-qi” stage now. It’s very good to drink. Everything seems just right. The headiness from the early two infusions trails off quickly. Over all, good for at least 12 infusions. That’s Fu, as in the fragrance not lucky. Be emphatic about it. You’ll have at least one Steeptarian who understands.

2011 Xiaguan Red Star courtesy very generous Steepstarian. This one is throaty all the way. I started in on it yestiddy. It takes about five infusions or so to get beyond the grown-up taste of tobacco and bitter. Already has some organgish tinge to it.

The yun with this is v. good. Very complex tastes of crayolas, oak, dish soap, laundry powder, some bitterness. It really roaches the mouth, especially as I’ve gotten deeper into it today. First run of a minute today had me feeling flowers and that tidal rise of heat that comes with those that possess power qi. Next round, a minute and a half maybe (this might be more than the 10th infusion, I do a pretty horrible job of tracking) feels and tastes like I’ve tumble-dried my mouth with a ghaddam Downy drier sheet. I hate those things.

I remember as I drank it yesterday that beside having a power phlegm-cutting penchant that my sense of what I was drinking would go back and forth between grown-up tea and something kinda Jennifer Anniston. I don’t watch movies but I suppose she’s supposed to be the “fresh girl next door type,” not too intimidating.

The aroma is equally complex with all that Downy and dishwater, with a hint of musk. You ever had a really good oaky white wine where the taste hangs on and you’ve determined that you’d really found the right wine for the occasion? Me neither and the only occasions life affords me are these cyber rants fueled by tea inebriation. As you get into it, some of the trademark Xiaguan smoke comes through. I’m breathing deeper, and feeling a bit zonkers. My head is kinda pounding. I had enough of this for today. I’m too much of a light-weight. Red Star has kicked my arse.

2007 CNNP HK Returns 100g square brick packed so tightly that in Massachusetts it must be registers as a concealed weapon. A few mths back, I took a considerable pains to breaks some chunks into my zisha chayeguan, tea container, right? Anyway, humidity has consistently been above 68 with temp anywhere between 22-27. Ha. I really like it. It’s murky as the backroom of any state capital but the taste is alive with sound of black brocade and silver dragons. Thick mouth-feel, syrupy with the first four infusions. As it thins out floral qualities are more evident, but not in a namby-pamby way. Yesterday ran it 8 times then this morning I gave it long soak, which was brassy clear, and bitter, which I thinned out with another quick infusion, making it less just plain bitter. I’m pretty sure that this is NOT from ‘07, not earlier than ’10 but who really knows. The series ran from ’07-’13, if I’m not mistaken and all the boxes are marked ‘07. It’s much livelier than the cake I have which is ’07 and is considerably more mature.

Drunkards beware! This Burmese treasure is a bona fide sock-knocker. Selected from trees between 200-500 yo, it deceives by disarming through a very blah aroma and appearance. The cake is packed very loosely, enough to put Charmin to shame. Early spring material with a ratty leaf here and there, along with lots of bitsy material Boo!

Now that you’re thoroughly turned-off, let me tell you that I often, in fact usually, commit the faux pas of sampling the rinse water. Stunned as you are, imagine how I felt when I tasted something utterly belied by its non-existent fragrance. Smooth , smooth vanilla. Then from that very sampling, I started to notice a most redoubtable cha-qi. The kind that makes my eyes itch, head lighten, and makes me want to stretch my shoulders and back.

The first few infusions have tannins, but afterwards it’s all very smooth sailing, the smoothest I’ve ever tasted. Vanilla is the overriding theme, I think I smell a bit of banana in the gaiwan. The power qi effects fade as well. You might get 10 infusion from it by increasing your steep time.

Steep on, Steepstarian, steep on!

This one is playful with a curious undertone of bitterness, ostensibly Naka material. Knowing nada about Naka, I say ostensibly because the very same wrapper is mostly used to sell a certain ripe. Red ripe, get it? Imprinted on the wrapper is the “sheng” character, so relax already.

Been working on it for two days now. I’ve noticed if it gets back-to-back steepings, the second or third will be decidedly bland, but if it gets an hour or so between steepings it comes back with a fruity, floral, bitter effect. Light mouthfeel. Leaves and broth produce an outstanding aroma. If you over infuse, the bitter overpowers the experience. Yields more than ten infusions and the body seems to be developing as it “cooks.” Yiwu types will enjoy this.

Still smells like it needs to breath a bit. Will rate later.