Just finished a sample of some random 2005 Xiaguan Iron Cake I got from mx-Tea. It was one I picked out to try, not one which was recommended to me. The dry leaf smelled leathery and a bit spicy. After a rinse, it still had that camphor on the nose, along with a bit of a barnyard aroma.
My first session was really dusty, so it got pretty strong right off the bat. There were some pleasant notes, including, a bit of that camphor and some dark fruit in the finish. I also tasted leather early on, though that went away quickly enough. The tea did get pleasantly thick and sweet. Most of the session was just a slightly sweet and thick earthy taste. It was enjoyable, but nothing special or really even noteworthy. Didn’t notice any qi building up.
My second session had less dust, but a few bigger chunks. Trying to get these to break up in the pot was an exercise in frustration, and I ended up with a session characterized by weak steeps as the biggest chunk refused to yield to boiling water. I lost my patience after a little while and just tossed the tea around halfway through. Next time I get samples or pieces of an “iron cake” I will have to tackle it differently. I don’t think I missed too much tossing this tea a bit prematurely though.
Including link for my own record-keeping, so I don’t reorder the tea next time I make a Taobao sample order.
https://world.taobao.com/item/22239667260.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7728556.0.0.KmCQeg
