u/Adventurous-Cod1415

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of white rice with subtle floral notes, light woody/incense funk on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, quick bite moves to a flash of sweet berries, soup has a bit if oily viscosity to it, feeling that sweet fruit on the gums a bit, hints of bubblegum, a base of stemmy wood with hints of moss is starting to set up under the fruity notes

Steep 2 (flash) - the initial fruitiness is still there, moving in a beat before that light bite, red fruit and berries come back after a few seconds, salivation picking up late

Steep 3 (5s) - that light bite has faded a bit, the flavor seems to be coming from my gums more than the tea itself, thickness in the mouth giving a bit of a red twizzlers vibe

Steep 4 (15s) - little bit of a push brings just a touch of a bite back, hints of anise joining in as red licorice continues to take the lead note, sweetness not intense, but definitely in the right proportions to support the fruit here, hints of juniper berries and pine join the aromatics in the open mouth, gums throat and tongue are coated with flavor, light tingle on the lips

Steep 5 (20s, reboil) - added heat brings a quick bite back up front, red berries holding more or less straight through, some green and woody notes mid-sip meld quite well with the berries, touch of mintiness

Steep 6 (30s) - not pushing hard, but not backing off either, and this is really shining from this approach, that light bitterness and body continue to support the fruity aspect nicely, nice complexity in the top notes, this tea is really singing for me tonight

Steep 7+ (45+) - citrus mixes in with the red berries, keeps going deep

Overall Impression - This tea checks every single box for me. Nice heft, nice mouthfeel, long huigan, complex and balanced flavor profile, and that elusive red licorice flavor and mouthfeel combo that I completely gravitate to when I find it. This has been a great season for young sheng, and this is right up there as one of my favorites so far this year.

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - faint aroma - lightly sweet and woody, funky/woody notes on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep but a medicinal bite right away, woody/mossy notes, a bit of slickness on the tongue and drying on the cheeks, light minty coolness a few beats in, bitterness fades slowly, hints of fruity sweetness mixing in with that mintiness late

Steep 2 (flash) - bite up front that fades quickly into a lower, more clingy bitterness on the tongue, some drying astringency on cheeks and gums, but slickness on teeth and tongue, low sweetness moves in with cherries on the back end

Steep 3 (5s) - less initial aggression although still has an initial oily/medicinal note to it, middle bitterness expanding and pushes the finish further back

Steep 4 (10s) - middle section of clingy bite and astringency stretching out, some citrus zest in the finish without a lot of sweetness to support it yet, fruit and some sweetness increasing deeper into the finish with some patience

Steep 5 (15s, reboil) - initial punch back up momentarily, minty notes return, intentionally waiting between sips to let huigan rebuild

Steep 6 (25s) - sweetness and citrus coming back up, mint sticking around as well, interesting mix of flavors with mint and fruit over a bittersweet that slowly picks up some balancing sweetness

Steep 7+ (40s+) - with time the late fruit and sweetness take over the lead role, although the bitterness still hangs out as a light accompaniment

Overall Impression - After last year's Trade Secret being an easy drinker with lots of berry notes, this year's version is definitely a big contrast. This drinks like a Banzhang/Bulang-heavy blend. That bitterness does eventually convert to sweetness, and there is a cooling mintiness that provides some interest. It gets there eventually, but it does take some investment to reach the payoff here. Priced like a daily drinker, but probably not daily drinker material unless you really like punchy young sheng.

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of cooked rice, cotton candy, faint floral highlights, gaiwan lid adds a tangy impression

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, clean, faint candy sugar note, greens and twigs, sweet floral nectar in open mouth, that tangy note is there but not tied to any specific fruit

Steep 2 (flash) - a bit of a bite up front, white wine, hints of passionfruit funk, sweetness starting to develop on palate, huigan sweetness developing into the finish paired with remnants of that vinous note

Steep 3 (5s) - that initial bitterness is still there, rounded and lingers for a bit but not clingy, really unique flavor candy and fruity-floral, has some similarities with Muscadine grapes and the funky side of passionfruit but not directly reminiscent of either, mouthfeel is soft without being watery

Steep 4 (10s) - orange juice up front, lingering winy note in the middle as the sweetness builds into the finish, faint slickness on the tongue, huigan has a ridiculously long buildup, definitely muscat grapes hanging on my uvula 4 or 5 minutes after a swallow

Steep 5 (15s, reboil) - freshly heated water brings that light initial bite back, still going from OJ > wininess > long slow buildup of sweetness

Steep 6 (25s) - some minerality is now coming in giving a bit of an Alsatian Gewurztraminer vibe

Steep 7+ (45s+) - just taking the time for each sip to play out its evolution from dry and minerals white wine to sweet grapes

Overall Impression - Such a unique flavor profile here, with a big evolution over the course of the sip and the session. I can see this not being for everyone, but this really presents as nice, complex tea with a rewarding finish.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of butter and molasses with faint old furniture notes, old books on the gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - butter, old straw, mouthfeel full, very light paper note, tongue coating nicely - like a collagen-rich stew, fleeting hints of that molasses note on the nose but otherwise not much sweetness yet, antique furniture

Steep 2 (flash) - buttery up front and moving to the antique furniture store, cooling mint starting faintly, hints of dried cherries, feeling some warmth and alertness already, slight sourness as finish progresses

Steep 3 (5s) - butter and antique wood still are the primary vibe, richness fills the role that sweetness might otherwise play, providing a solid mouthfeel, some light sweetness starting to move in later in the finish along with that slight tartness

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - butter and wood with some vegetal notes, some drying on the tongue is telling me to ease up a bit and that this was likely a generous sample that I should have weighed before brewing

Steep 5 (10s) - that light sweetness is spreading out a bit more into the early part of the sip, unctuous antique wood remains the vibe, hints of fresh ground pepper as a top note, feeling very loose in the face and jaw muscles

Steep 6 (15s) - slowing down on the steeps was the right call - not losing any flavor or mouthfeel but astringency has eased off, spicy notes joining the wood, gravity increasing a bit - getting a couchlock vibe

Steep 7+ (20s+) - as the butter fades some more papery notes show up but nothing off-putting, this one lasts a good long while

Overall Impression - I know it's not Dayi or Xiaguan, but as far as aged factory puer goes, Liming rarely lets me down. This one has a great flavor and satisfying mouthfeel. Very relaxing session. Totally bummed that I only got a 7g sample because it's sold out now.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of cooked rice with light floral sweetness, gaiwan lid aroma adds a light leathery funk

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, straw, floral sweet notes on the roof of the mouth, cooked rice

Steep 2 (10s) - slight oversteep while cleaning a spill, vegetable skin bitterness (got interrupted - tossing, will restart with a flash steep)

Steep 3 (flash) - vegetable/fruit skin bitterness, bitterness a bit clingy hits back of throat, fruity aromatics mixed in, eventually a hint of huigan sweetness moves in late with some apple and tropical notes

Steep 4 (5s) - less bitterness now - just coming in briefly after a swallow, fruit skins and a crisp fruity top note, light sweetness, a bit dry but could be my own cottonmouth

Steep 5 (10s) - that bitterness has faded to the point where it is just a bit of heft at the front of the sip without really grabbing on, nondescript hints of fruit and sweetness pop in and out, decent cling on the palate

Steep 6 (20s) - settling in, similar light vegetal bite as a background note for fruity-floral top notes, nice body to the soup and a light but pleasant huigan sweetness in the finish

Steep 7+ (30s+) - continues that nondescript but pleasant vibe for several more steeps, huigan build over time but never reaches a high intensity

Overall Impression - I didn't bring my A game to this session, but I still ended up pulling out a decent session. This is kind of a typical no-frills Shengtai tea. I haven't tried my Jingmai Miyun from Farmerleaf this year, but this seems like it would occupy a similar ballpark to that tea. This is suitable for a daily drinker if you enjoy this style.

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma has some punch, sugar/candy notes, gaiwan lid has some florals and a touch of latex

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, clean and slick with a hint of pleather, aromatics of a vintage candy that I cant quite place yet, some drying in the mouth after a swallow, lips tingling a bit, hints of orange zest and sweetness in the finish

Steep 2 (flash) - still pretty light, quick funk up front fades quickly, floral and fruit zest top notes, very faint hints of sweetness, light coating in the mouth that leans to the dry side

Steep 3 (10s) - very clean up front, the first real hints of sweetness starting to arrive, that pleather punchiness is still all flavor and no bitterness, some fruit starting to mix in with the light sweetness as the sip stretches into the finish, less drying but still leaning that direction a bit

Steep 4 (20s) - pushing is increasing astringency without bringing in much more of anything else, some coolness in the mouth, fresh vegetables, hint of candy sugar, will ease off a bit and see if it opens up more, finish is long but only lightly sweet, very warming

Steep 5 (15s, reboil) - an early sweetness is now showing up at the start of the sip with that pleather, mouthfeel still more drying astringent than anything else, faint vanilla and hay in the mid palate

Steep 6 (25s) - some slight juiciness triggering salivation but not enough to counteract the astringency, very light sweet candy note, going to blast this and see if i can get anything else from it

Steep 7 (2 min) - definitely getting something better here, a bit more full in the flavor up front with leather turning to fruit and a more rounded sweetness in the middle, fuller in the mouth with a bit more salivation, still drying but less aggressive now, lemon zest notes appear in the finish

Steep 8+ (2 min+) - pushing brings out a bit more at this point, but not a whole lot

Overall Impression - This isn't a bad tea, and the mind's eye can sort of project how this could be really nice after some age softens the astringency. There are no flaws in the flavor or harsh bitterness. But as it is drinking today, it just bores me. I'm looking forward to trying some WWSF with a bit of age on it to get an idea for how their teas tend to develop, but this is just another young Yiwu that falls flat for me.

(PS - sorry for the green cups. I'm still trying to figure out something that shows color better in my travel kit)

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - woody incense aroma just bordering on smoke, gaiwan lid has fruity notes mix in with the incense

Steep 1 (flash) - sweetness up front with sandalwood, some sweet spice bakeshop components mixing in, salivation kicking off more sweetness, cola and vanilla highlights

Steep 2 (flash) - woody and sweetness hit together up front, wood morphs to incense and spice top notes, some fruitiness starting to come in to complement, giving some spiced sangria vibes, light tingle on the tongue, some cigar wrapper tobacco leaves at the back of the throat

Steep 3 (5s) - clean “aged leaf” flavor moving in up front married to bakery spices and a light brown sugar sweetness, feeling floaty and pulled down at the same time, plums/dried cherries/craisins becoming more prominent later in the sip, cooling note expanding in the mouth

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - wood back a bit up front, walnut meat, lightly sweet salivation, post-cannabis body feel, inside of mouth feels like an hour after a shot of novocaine

Steep 5 (15s) - mouthfeel not quite thick, but juicy, sweetness plateaued at a low-moderate level but continues to wash over the mouth in waves, incense and spice notes still holding strong with dried cherries and dark cocoa mixing in late

Steep 6 (15s) - easing off a bit to see what happens, sweetness seems to move in more quickly, fruitiness coming in earlier as well, spicy warmth on sides of tongue shortly after swallowing 

Steep 7 (20s) - wood, incense, brown sugar, peaches, cherries, nothing incredibly potent, but still all in play

Steep 8+ (30s+) - this tea has some incredible endurance, holding steady for quite some time

Overall Impression - This tea definitely has a nice level of complexity to it, although the intensity isn't quite where I'd like it. Bigger mouthfeel and huigan would definitely elevate this to a top-tier tea. I'm not a qi-chaser and tend to prioritize mouthfeel, but this session really had me buzzing. If that's your thing, this cake is definitely worth checking out.

5.5g/80mL, duanni clay pot, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of light wood and honey

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, woody, light smoke, honey, maraschino cherries, slickness in mouth, cinnamon, thick mouthfeel

Steep 2 (flash) - woody notes with faint cherrywood smoke, light sweetness, tingle starting to develop on tongue, soup has a nice thickness to it, cooling sensation in mouth, light acidity bringing out cherry fruitiness into finish, lightly toasted sweet yeast rolls

Steep 3 (5s) - sweet rolls up front, nice coating on mouth still, salivation and tingle radiate from corner of jaw, some leafy notes without moving to a papery character, sweetness not super deep into the finish

Steep 4 (10s) - fruit hardwood more upfront this time around without being super smoky, cherry syrup in finish with a rather light sweetness

Steep 5 (20s) - sweet cherrywood with very light smoke, very relaxed body feel but not heavy, hints of sweet orange, light peppery note

Steep 6 (30s) - still pretty full in the mouth, lightly sweet, slick

Steep 7+ (45s+) - still holding strong for many more steeps, smoke mostly gone, but wood and cherry remains

Overall Impression - This gives a lot of cherry and cherrywood with just a hint of smoke. Not a lot of sweetness, but a really nice balance. Not smoky enough where it's super BBQ-like, but maybe something lightly smoked and then coated in a cherry-based glaze. This is a score for a free sample. I will definitely go back for more of this the next time I place a PuerhNW order

Essence of Tea 2026 Chawangshu Single Tree "Triangle" raw puer

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - punchy latex/floral aroma, gaiwan lid has fruity funk

Steep 1 (flash) - light, clean, quick sweetness some of that latex and floral note shows up early as a bit of clean funk that isn't clingy at this point, fruity citrus note already popping up in finish

Steep 2 (flash) - cooked rice, funky latex note but not bringing any real bitterness with it, latex fades to florals on the tongue, sweetness mixing with florals as it slowly fades in, vanilla and orchids, fresh plums in mid palate, floral bite starts to develop a bit as sips build on each other, late sweetness builds in concert

Steep 3 (5s) - sweetness starting to last into the following sip and floral bite lays on top of it, sweetness coming from back of mouth and focused on soft palate, hints of bitter orange, punchy but not aggressive, full flavor and satisfying mouthfeel, finish long and sweet with lingering floral notes and hints of fruit

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - a bit more bitterness up front as the late sweetness had time to fade while I was reheating my kettle, still feels clean initially despite the bitterness, bitterness rising but still mostly front and sides of tongue without feeling heavy, sweetness comes back late

Steep 5 (15s) - reserved for later comparison

Steep 6 (20s) - return of late sweetness tempers the bitterness, floral and fruity-floral top notes persist, some mossiness now layering underneath

Steep 7+ (30s+) - holding pretty steady, not soft, has some heft while remaining clean

Overall Impression - Flavor wise this has some heft to it. It definitely isn't “soft” the way my experience with young Yiwu tends to be. That said, it is certainly not aggressive in any way. There is a very nice huigan sweetness that really balances this tea well once it sets up. Floral flavor is big here. Floral and fruit top notes are here, but play a smaller role compared to what is happening on the tongue and throat.

Essence of Tea 2026 Chawangshu Single Tree "Circle" raw puer

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - light vanilla-sugary note, gaiwan l8f had a funky fruit note with some wood

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, popcorn, hints of vanilla sugar, very faint sweetness

Steep 2 (flash) - initial wood, fruity top notes, tropical papaya in open mouth, still a little light as this was a firmer chunk of cake that is still opening, sweetness is light, nectarine skins and aromatics of ripe plums at the front of the sip, sweetness picks up late, mostly center of tongue

Steep 3 (5s) - a bit more bite early but not particularly bitter, stonefruit/berry-floral quality to the bite, fruit skins more than latex, sweetness slightly darker than straight-up candy, late citrus and tart nectarine notes with an almost turbinado sweetness, sweetness endures but never crosses above a moderate threshold

Steep 4 (10s) - fruit skin and floral bite up front moves to a hint of leather, sweetness light and slow to build, yet ouch of a drying sensation, bite turning more floral with some lavender aromatics opening up in the mouth

Steep 5 (15s) - reserved for later comparison

Steep 6 (20s) - a bit punchier than before, the gap between this and the triangle is closing a bit, but this definitely leans softer and more aromatic still compared between the two, less sweetness in the finish but a nice aromatic and fruit component that pairs with the finish as it evolves

Steep 7+ (30s+) - holding steady, less depth to finish than the triangle

Overall Impression - This is another nice tea. It is generally softer and less robust than the triangle, but noticeably more aromatic. A bit fruitier, and while a punch does develop it doesn't hit the intensity of the triangle. Sweetness is enough to balance the softer bite, but overall less intense. There is a nice fruity and aromatic component to the finish that makes it more than just sweetness.

Circle definitely is my favorite of the two, but neither truly brings a full picture on its own. It's surprising how easily I can tease out the difference between these two despite being from the same garden. It also is a very good way to visualize the benefits of blending, as each of these have different strengths and weaknesses that would easily help balance the other.

I saved the fifth steep from both teas and iced them for my son to try later. He preferred the Triangle. That extra huigan sweetness definitely made the iced version a lot easier to go down and brought out more fruit than when it was hot. Circle just didn't have enough sweetness and made it a little rougher when iced.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of wood, straw, gaiwan lid has a fruity funk to it

Steep 1 (flash) - sticks, leaves, hints of lavender, tannic bitter note, some salivation, some thickness and very late sweetness, strange aroma bordering on wet dog in cup

Steep 2 (flash) - still has a floral-bitter component, wet dog is gone, check of the gaiwan lid giving sandalwood/incense, mouthfeel and salivation nice, more traditional woody semi-aged notes, hints of plum

Steep 3 (10s) - fruit and wood clashing far less, still very perfumy in the aromatics, bitterness still present but hasn't increased in this infusion, plummy/chocolatey/raisiny darkness, lightly sweet that picks up into the finish

Steep 4 (15s) - more woody this steep with less brightness, hints of green veggies showing up mid-sip

Steep 5 (20s, reboil) - woody and plummy notes back up, more aromatic/floral notes as well, flavors clashing a bit, nice thickness, a bit more of a caramel sweetness to the finish, gets nice after the clashing flavors settle a bit

Steep 6+ (30s+) - as the steeps progress the flavor shifts towards a more typical mid-aged caramel/toffee and wood with sweetness playing a bigger role, those untamed aromatics still pop in here and there but are less of a clash

Overall Impression - I have not had this at a younger age, but this tea is really in a weird place right now. It's clear that this must have been quite an aromatic tea in its youth, and a lot of those aromatics are still here, but it's developing the bones of middle age and that dark woodiness seems to fight what's left of those aromatics. The later steeps show a fair amount of promise for the future once the sweetness picks up a bit. Right now it's definitely sitting in an awkward phase, though.

(Sorry for the repost - didn't actually have location in the title)

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma has leathery funk, gaiwan lid adds oranges to that

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, sweetness and fresh grass, slickness on tongue

Steep 2 (flash) - fuller body, flavor still building, light fruity-sweet notes

Steep 3 (5s) - leathery flavor up front without much accompanying bitterness, sweet oranges in finish, very full in the mouth with substantial weight

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - hint of early bitterness that doesn't quite vanish immediately, sweetness early and starting to stretch out, sweetness a bit darker than straight up candy sugar as if a bit of turbinado was blended in, orange zest mixes in lightly as the sip progresses, salivation setting up nicely

Steep 5 (20s) - leaning into this just a bit brings a little more of that initial punch and thickens the mouthfeel that turns to a bit of a candy coating, salivation brings sweetness, coating on teeth and tongue

Steep 6 (30s) - initial bite mellowed, now just a washing of thick sweetness with each sip

Steep 7+ (45s+) - sweetness keeps building for several more steeps and takes over completely

Overall Impression - This one is a little bit of a slow buildup, but once it gets going it is just a candy bomb. Very bright and fresh, and a huge mouthfeel to go with it. This is exactly what I think of when I think of young Lincang sheng. Like many Single Trees from Farmerleaf, there isn't a huge complexity in the aromatics, but the payoff is the depth of sweetness and huge mouthfeel. This one is really nice.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma has leathery funk, gaiwan lid adds oranges to that

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, sweetness and fresh grass, slickness on tongue

Steep 2 (flash) - fuller body, flavor still building, light fruity-sweet notes

Steep 3 (5s) - leathery flavor up front without much accompanying bitterness, sweet oranges in finish, very full in the mouth with substantial weight

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - hint of early bitterness that doesn't quite vanish immediately, sweetness early and starting to stretch out, sweetness a bit darker than straight up candy sugar as if a bit of turbinado was blended in, orange zest mixes in lightly as the sip progresses, salivation setting up nicely

Steep 5 (20s) - leaning into this just a bit brings a little more of that initial punch and thickens the mouthfeel that turns to a bit of a candy coating, salivation brings sweetness, coating on teeth and tongue

Steep 6 (30s) - initial bite mellowed, now just a washing of thick sweetness with each sip

Steep 7+ (45s+) - sweetness keeps building for several more steeps and takes over completely

Overall Impression - This one is a little bit of a slow buildup, but once it gets going it is just a candy bomb. Very bright and fresh, and a huge mouthfeel to go with it. This is exactly what I'm looking for of when I think of young Lincang sheng. Like many Single Trees from Farmerleaf, there isn't a huge complexity in the aromatics, but the payoff is the depth of sweetness and huge mouthfeel. This one is really nice.

7.5g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - faint smoke, dates, gaiwan lid smells of figs and dry leaves

Steep 1 (flash) - tangy, dates and figs, oak leaves, candy aroma not passing through to the flavor yet, raisins, faint incense note

Steep 2 (flash) - spices mixing in with that faint incense/sandalwood note, faint dates, light sweetness showing up in hints at corner of jaw, notable coolness through my mouth

Steep 3 (10s) - a bit more of a candy-like sweetness starting to settle in, thick coating in mouth, faint papery note, more date/figgy sweetness, finish mostly just a cool/tingly sensation, sweetness stays light but starting to draw out into the finish

Steep 4 (15s) - some quick cherry notes with the initial slurp, but still pretty firmly in the date realm, mouthfeel more substantial than the flavor, very clean. Tongue super numb several minutes after last sip

Steep 5 (30s, reboil) - slight push doesn't bring out much more in the flavor department, faintest flash of citrus before moving back to that light date base with light sweetness, definitely feeling energized

Steep 6 (45s) - holding steady, can now taste a bit of mint to go with the super cool mouthfeel, most of face starting to go numb, feeling the tension release in my muscles

Steep 7+ (1 min+) - moving more towards minty sweet as the steeps go on, keeps giving for quite some time, sweetness builds for many more steeps but never quite hits an intensity that I was hoping for, peak flavor actually was around steeps 10-12 which is some crazy endurance

Overall Impression - This is my first time trying BYH. The mouthfeel tells me that this is some quality material, but there just isn't a whole lot going on from a flavor standpoint that excites me here. The dry leaves had a big sticky-date aroma to them that gave me hope that flavor would follow. There's nothing bad here, and I will definitely keep sampling BYH, but this particular one is falling short in the flavor department for me.

Also of note, I got this sample from PuerhNW, and their storage tends to be on the dryer side. I'm not sure what the storage was before they got this and for how long. I'm not sure if this would perform differently with different storage, although unless there is some latent sweetness locked up in here I don't necessarily feel like this needs more development.

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - lightly toasty aromatic, berries and funk on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, immediate sweetness, warm cookies, light fruity notes, juicy texture, soft and rounded, opening my gaiwan fills the air with fresh pressed orange juice aromas

Steep 2 (flash) - hint of bitter orange up front, but quickly moves into that rich sweetness, not a lot happening late at this point, but loads going on up front, bit of thickness developing on tongue, sweetness is super fast and coating gums now

Steep 3 (5s) - starting to mellow a bit in the early part of the sip, sweetness moves in quick and asserts its dominance, orange zest floats around that thick sweetness, sweetness fades rather than clings, but it is a fairly long fade

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - an orange biscotti, pretty mellow, sweetness needs some rebuilding time after waiting for my kettle to reboil, coating in the mouth not quite drying but feels like it could go that eay

Steep 5 (30s, push) - seeing if I can coax a little more out without bringing harshness, elevates the orange sweetness and that drying sensation hasn't really elevated, some increased sourness which enhances the orange and stimulates salivation, I will keep pushing a bit

Steep 6 (45s) - sweetness starting to fade just a hair despite continuing to push, but still very nicely sweet, orange zest top note fills in where that sweetness has pulled back, cooling tingle down center of tongue

Steep 7+ (1 min+) - keeps the orange/bakeshop vibe for several more steeps as it fades

Overall Impression - While I wouldn't necessarily consider this a high-end tea, it certainly is phenomenal for its price point. That rich sweetness is potent and immediate. There is a nice mouthfeel that can withstand pushing without getting overly astringent. It is one of the most enjoyable young Mengla teas I've had this season. Really nice stuff.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of toasted cooked rice, with sweet floral note, fruity funk on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - immediately slick across the tongue, light bite with some fruitiness, sweetness hits the corners of the jaw, hint of a toasty note right at start ilof sip then disappears, rocky/mineral note on tongue

Steep 2 (flash) - a bit more of an immediate bite but nothing too aggressive, fruity sweetness moves in immediately behind it, floral top notes move in bringing alternate waves of floral candy and fruity candy

Steep 3 (5s) - that initial punch take another small step up, tongue coating on border between slick and dry, sweetness also increasing into the finish, very fresh/crisp into the finish

Steep 4 (10s) - less bitterness, but a definite viscosity to the soup, less drying than previous steep (salivation is helping), feeling energized

Steep 5 (20s) - bitterness still low, crisp veggies, florals, sweet fruit (pear/delicious apple), mouth coating there, not dry or super slick

Steep 6 (45s, pushing) - a bit more of a punch and viscosity, sweet fruit and cool veggies, finish long and candy-like but lower in intensity, caffeine intensity increasing

Steep 7+ (1min+) - becoming longer and more floral-sweet as the finish extends

Overall Impression - This kind of fits the typical mold of Jingmai Single Trees for me - less intensity than their Menghai Single Trees offerings, but still a notable increase in mouthfeel and sweetness compared to their mixed-picking teas. I'm looking forward to trying their Gulan and Miyun soon to compare this year's Jingmai releases. Nice tea, but from a value perspective I think the Tang Fang Liang Zi Single Trees offers more for less if you're looking for a less-aggressive single trees offering from FL this year

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - light cooked rice, floral funky notes on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, floral notes reminiscent of unroasted oolong, almost- gritty thickness on the tongue, light sweetness opening up quickly, light oily bite

Steep 2 (flash) - thickness that turns sweet continues, oiliness intensifies and lingers, bit of a roughness to that oil, floral and fruity top notes becoming more prominent

Steep 3 (5s) - aromas remain prevalent, oiliness remains but becoming less sharp in flavor, sweetness steps back and starts to move into the finish

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - thick mouthfeel continues to take the lead, florals then open up a few seconds after a swallow, sweetness getting pushed further and further back into the finish before it starts to bloom, each sip is a very prolonged development

Steep 5 (15s) - becoming more mouthwatering now, each sip requires patience for it to fully unfurl, retronasal opens up big floral notes, body feels very loose

Steep 6 (25s) - oiliness starting to lose some thickness but still giving some oomph behind the florals until the sweetness opens up, sweetness starting to move back up a bit as that oiliness fades, grittiness noticeable again under the oily viscosity

Steep 7+ (40s+) - becoming more crisp with time as the viscosity becomes more moderate, that grittiness seems to be an astringency that was coated over by the oiliness, that astringency not coming off as aggressive since salivation provides some lubrication

Overall Impression - The texture on this tea is massively thick right from the start. The florals are pretty intense at the start, but then everything seems to take a back seat to that textural component. Sweetness and aromatics are quite nice when they hit on each sip.

In the end this always brings me to the conundrum with young Yiwu for me. First of all, the premium microterroirs bring a significant premium on price. But beyond that, when young most Yiwu lacks the immediacy that Banzhang and other Menghai region teas have. There is less attack-and-release here, and even though the huigan sweetness here is significantly higher than many other young Yiwu, it just doesn't have the payoff for me to justify the price.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma light straw/hay with hints of florals, touch of pungency on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, crisp green note initially, slickness and sweetness on tongue starts quickly, paired with salivation,

Steep 2 (flash) - hint of leather, viscosity in soup, sweetness coming up a bit more, hint of melon on slurp, flavor subdued, warmth radiating from chest, light lemon candy setting up in finish, tea burps are straight up lemonade, big gulp brings cooked rice and straw notes and a thick viscosity

Steep 3 (5s) - a hint of early punchiness leads to lemon licorice rope, sweetness isn't quite blasting off yet but the mouthfeel remains substantial, lemon candy salivation starting to increase through the finish

Steep 4 (15s) - unctuous viscosity with some punchy leather notes that are rapidly overtaken by slick sweet citrus,

Steep 5 (20s, reboil) - that leathery pungency is up but practically no bitterness along with it, mouthfeel off the charts

Steep 6 (30s) - lemon has taken over from the beginning, mouthfeel still holding strong

Steep 7+ (45s+) - still keeps holding on for many more steeps

Overall Impression - Hekai Single Trees is a desert island tea for me, and this might be the best version I've had of it. There is a little less punch this year than I recall from last year, but otherwise all the intensity is there. This tea tastes great, but the mouthfeel and finish are what sets this one apart. Phenomenal release this year.

7g/105 mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - aroma of rice/straw faint florals, interesting fusel note on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, lightly sweet, floral notes, smooth, faint fruity notes developing late

Steep 2 (flash) - grassy punch up front, still on the lighter side, early sweetness but light, hints of tropical fruit in aromatics, soft and round, very faint hint of oiliness, lip tingle

Steep 3 (5s) - a bit more texture slides across the tongue with the soup, not quite sure if it's tannins or oil, coating on cheeks and tongue a bit heavier now with a touch of a bite to it, sweetness still light but developing a bit, that tropical fruit note of banana/bubblegum pops out occasionally, slight oily coating in the mouth, finish is light but going fairly deep with that sweet tropical note

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - feels thicker but not bitter, getting a touch of that fusel alcohol aroma from the gaiwan lid - leaning to the fruity side rather than solventy, that green/grass/chlorophyll note from the firat steep or two is gone, some clinging oily/tannin note into the finish

Steep 5 (20s) - probably a bit of a push as there is a dryness developing quickly and a stronger initial bite, overall the tea is still tracking rather mild, not sure if pushing to increase intensity is a wise choice as i think it is just elevating the wrong aspects

Steep 6+ (30s+) - less aggressive this steep and back to its earlier balance, although coating is staying a bit dry

Overall Impression - this is a pretty solid tea. The flavor is nice, mouthfeel is enjoyable. It is on the milder/softer side for my tastes, but that is not unexpected for Manzhuan. I will be very curious to do some side-by-side tastings with other Manzhuan, but I'm even more curious to dig into some other samples from Fatbat to see how their pricier options fare.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - light aroma, camphor and light grainy note

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, sweetness and salivation, light menthol/camphor, oak, very light impression so far

Steep 2 (flash) - still light, cinnamon and sandalwood hints, camphor/menthol character rising a bit, sweetness on upper gums

Steep 3 (10s) - first hints of a punch up front, camphor is moving towards smoke a bit, fruity plum/apricot note, a bit of an oily cling on the tongue, sweetness really gaining ground late with some nice salivation

Steep 4 (20s) - definitely an early fruitiness developing in the sip, dried cherries, that camphor note is right on the borderline with smoke and perception can go in either direction, sweetness is really gaining some traction

Steep 5 (30s, reboil) - tongue tingle building a bit, definitely has some acidity leading to salivation and still holding that fruitiness, sweetness has a light caramel note to it and almost a white chocolate/vanilla flavor as well

Steep 6 (45s) - hint of cigar wrapper tobacco mixing in, otherwise holding steady

Steep 7+ (1 min+) - that tobacco note is still light, never really builds up or fades away, nice juicy sweetness remains

Overall Impression - First and foremost, this is shortly after a flavorful dinner so my palate may be a bit dulled by that. This started out light, but a little pushing was able to coax out some nice sweetness. The flavor isn't huge, but there is definitely some acidity bringing fruitiness and a light note in the camphor/smoke spectrum. Overall it's a pretty nice tea at a solid price.

7g/105mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - sweet floral aromas with straw and oatmeal, bready note on gaiwan lid

Steep 1 (flash) - quick tingly note and sweetness despite a light steep, toasty note, light bite to it with some lingering mossy/grassy notes, sweetness building quickly

Steep 2 (flash) - leather flavor up front without a real lingering bitterness, bit of a cooked/burnt note, tongue is almost completely numb already and lips are starting to get there as well, slick coating on mouth, orange zest, sweetness pushed to back of mouth and corner of jaw and then build back up into the finish, very head-focused sensation

Steep 3 (5s) - the numbing sensation in my mouth seems to be affecting my taste buds as well, this tea is becoming more about mouthfeel/finish/feeling, early on getting a bit of bitter orange marmalade in the initial punch, thickness to the soup, then late sweetness climbs the throat, chest open like I just puffed on an asthma inhaler, getting vanilla deep in the finish

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - punch still light, thickness and slickness remain potent, bitterness more in the open mouth than clinging to the tongue, sweetness very enjoyable as it fades in

Steep 5 (15s) - still full in mouth, slight dustiness in the back of the mouth but no real astringency, feeling caffeinated but not jittery, finish is mouthwatering

Steep 6 (20s) - still hitting pretty hard

Steep 7+ (30s+) - this one will probably outlast me, feeling very light as I get out of my chair

Overall Impression - This year's release definitely hits as hard as the 2021, if not harder. This is a caffeine bomb for sure, but without making me feel like crap. Very nice mouthfeel and finish to this one. Fans of Altered State should definitely be happy with this year's release.