If you’re out there Crimson Lotus, I think your description of this tea is perfect.
Clear, sparkling gold liquor with some fruity tones (not tastes) like cucumber-melon, apricot and citrus. I can see how others describe lemongrass from previous years. Apricot aftertaste early on leaves by the third steep. Second steep my note says YUM. Here I noticed some cooling on the swallow and a warm and spicy peppery bite in the throat. By the fourth steep, this transformed into a medium returning sweetness. Fifth steep brought out a very rounded savory and bright tone, I want to say like baked lemon and yellow squash. The tea lasted another 10 steeps without much change from there. Cha qi was interesting… kind of meditative — knocked me out for about 20 minutes. I could feel something like waves of long, thick golden-brown hair flowing out of my eyebrows and cheekbones.
A really clean and bright tea with very little bitterness and astringency and not super sweet. Very refreshing with a medium to light body and some smooth oiliness. I can see why Crimson Lotus likes to take this on hikes. So far this is my favorite from the sheng sampler.
Hey it’s #300.
