80

Quick wash

1st, 5 sec: Really strong honey aroma and taste (I suspect from the honeysuckle). It pairs nicely with the clean earthy flavor of the shu underneath. After a couple sips the cha qi really took me aback, to the point that I had to just sit back and relax into it. Very heady and consuming feeling, with tingling from my head down through the rest of my body.

2nd, 15 sec: Now that the initial hit of the honeysuckle has been washed out there’s the aroma I’ve come to expect from xingyang shu — a very pleasant clean mustiness like an old book with a bit of a wet forest smell mixed in. The honey smell from the first brew has turned into a crisp apple. This steeping numbs my mouth a bit and I’m getting an even stronger cha qi. I slightly oversteeped this round, so there’s more bitterness than I’d like but there’s still a pleasant earthiness

3rd, 10 sec: I can tell from the smell it was a good idea to turn down the time. The musty aroma has a sweetness to it this time. There’s a perfect balance to me between bitter earthiness and sweet honeycrisp apple. Nice continuing head high from the cha qi.

4th, 10 sec: Very similar to the third, but a bit lighter.

5th, 10 sec: The earthiness has taken a backseat to the apple and fruit flavors.

6th, 17 sec: I wouldn’t describe previous rounds as “creamy”, but this one definitely is. It’s still fruity but there’s more to it this time, some vanilla and maybe a hint of clove on the back of the tongue.

7th, 32 sec: Getting a nice poundcake flavor this time.

8th, 47 sec: There’s some citrus coming out now, making a lemon poundcake vibe.

I think I’m going to leave it there, but this has been a really nice tea. The honeysuckle only lasts for the first steeping, but the interplay between it and the puerh is really fun for that one time. The flavor after that doesn’t knock your socks off, but the feeling of it is really wonderful. I don’t know if I was just in the right place to receive it or if this tea is special in this regard, but the cha qi was really amazing. It faded a bit as the session went on, but even on steep 8 I’m still feeling it. My wife even commented on how happy I seem — it really brightened my day.

Flavors: Apple, Cake, Citrus, Creamy, Dark Bittersweet, Earth, Fruity, Honey, Musty

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 7 g 4 OZ / 118 ML

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I don’t pay too much attention to the number scores I give teas — they’re just an approximation of my feelings on them, so if you really want you know what I thought you’ll need to read the whole, longwinded tasting note.

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Snohomish, WA

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