This 100g brick is very attractively packaged and doesn’t have any obvious unpleasant aromas.
The brick is of medium-tight compression and looks like a good mix of identifiable young tips and leaf. It breaks with some pressure, but nothing dangerous.
The first steep smells somewhat over-malty, but does not taste so. The liquor is very dark, but of high clarity for such a young ripe tea. It has a very pleasant entry with no hints of the decomposition present in many young, and especially, modern ripe teas. The body is great with just a hair too much malt, but nothing offensive.
Steep two is much more balanced with a good blend of earthy and malty tones. Still very dark and full of body.
A similar aesthetic continues for the next 4 steeps and then the body starts to drop off, but the earthy tones and sweetness continue until the color is gone. The steeped leaf reveals a good blend of greener leaves that have been rather well treated for a ripe tea.
Overall a delightful ripe offering! I ordered this tea after receiving and trying a 2006 Tulin Phoenix Tuo that was one of the best ripe teas I have tried. I think that this tea will age similarly and be a great addition to my aging collection.
