2013 New Amerykah
Tried W2T 2013 New Amerykah today for the first time after letting it rest for a month.
7g in 120ml gaiwan
212 starting water with a reboil at steep 8
Two quick rinses, then 7s / 10s / 10s / 12s / 10s / 20s / 30s / 45s / 60s / 20s.
The first steep was relatively calm compared to what I was in for. Nice clear amber liquor, some light smoke, subtle bitterness, and a drying finish. By steep 2 (10s) it really woke up. It still has a lot of young sheng characteristics despite its age like lots of green woody raw puer flavor, stemmy/ vegetal aroma, strong bitterness, and intense drying sensation.
At 10-12 seconds it got intense fast. Not much camphor or cooling, but at steep 6 (20s) there was a weird, sharp vegetal quality in the back of my nose after smelling.
By steeps 6 and 7 the bitterness calmed slightly and it became really enjoyable, highlighting more medicinal vegetal bitterness that’s much softer than before. I reboiled before steep 8 and it roared back to life, and while the color lightened slightly, the remaining steeps 7 (30s), 8 (45s) 9(60s) were strong raw puer, nicer bitterness than during steeps 2-4 and an continued intense drying sensation.
Steep 10 was 20s because I couldn’t handle anymore. I might revisit later today.
The leaf quality is mixed. Some intact leaves. Not the prettiest but it smells extremely fresh and clean.
Without getting too woo-woo, the body effect was calming but sensory-heightening. I felt really in tune to sound, as if I could hear every little sound my home was making. Perhaps it was just because I was sitting quietly.
Anyway, this was a really fun experience for me to try one of W2T’s early cakes. I’m not sure I could have drank this when it was first released. Definitely not a daily drinker, but a solid session.