Wouldn’t normally enjoy singin’ that corner baggie blues but this Stirling is music to my taste buds.
I kinda like broken leaf anyways for the extra minerality and because the gong fu session gets goin full steam right away.
Keep it comin’ Bitterleaf. Got any other bottom bag material?
Update: I’ve drank through about 75g of this tea over the last 6+ months and still find it quite enjoyable. Will be ordering more for this coming summer and having it in my rotation as maybe not a daily but two or three times a weekly drinker.
Being a tea that is the left over bottom of the bag material gives it a unique mix of materials and qualities. Lots of buds (especially smaller buds), some bits of huang pian, broken leaf, and a higher than normal amount of beat up and oxidized bud and leaf. I wouldn’t say I prefer a more oxidized young raw but I do enjoy them for variety. These qualities combine to give a richness to the tea that could almost border on muddy but does stay pretty clear and crisp.
Good bitterness when pushed and good balance of more bitter than astringent (just how I like it) with a not overpowering sweetness. Nice hui gan, good texture, many steeps.
I recommend breaking into this choco style brick the way you would any normal brick or cake. The compression is not too heavy. I find that if I try to break off a square piece I end up making even more dust and broken leaf and that these bricks don’t seem to like to break at the perforation anyways.
