If I didn’t know the source I’d say I had drank a different tea than Rich. I wasn’t blown away by this tea. I definitely don’t think it was dry stored. There was a strong note of wet wood in this tea. This note usually means wet storage. This could still be a wet stored tea from 1997. This wet storage taste never completely went away, even in the tenth steep. I did not find any fruity notes like Rich did. I found mildly sour notes instead. There was indeed little bitterness to this tea and the sour notes could be the tea trying to age. I think there is an equal chance that this is a much younger tea than 1997 and wet stored. I don’t know enough about judging the difference in the tea liquid to be sure though. Younger. humid stored tea has a look similar to aged raw puerh. It would also have the notes of wet wood that were so prevalent in this tea.
I brewed this tea ten times in a 120ml gaiwan with 8.6g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse and a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, and 1 min.
Flavors: Sour, Wet Wood
Excellent Sherlock. I will hold off buying this one.