This tea is interesting. I have come to the conclusion that Tian Jian is an acquired taste. And I have not completely acquired it yet. In any case this is much better than the last one I tried, also from Yunnan Sourcing. This one starts of with a taste that is described as peaty by Scott at Yunnan Sourcing. This peaty taste lasted about four steeps and the tea evolved into something nicer. It did not get sweet an the way a ripe puerh does but it did improve. Unfortunately, I just don’t have a word to describe the note I get from this tea once the peaty taste is basically history. Not that it completely disappears. even in later steeps there is a faint taste of the peaty taste. But it does evolve into something else. I don’t quite know if to say a sweet note is the right description. Better anyway.
I steeped this eight times in a 100ml teapot with 6.3g leaf and boiling water. I gave it two rinses, one for 10 seconds and another for 5 seconds. I gave it a 10 minute rest. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, and 30 sec. The leaves were not really done at eight steeps but I was.
Flavors: Peat
I have had my eye on this one. YS seems to be getting into heicha lately. I scored a sample (50g is a sample, right) of the 90’s Liu An, and when I opened it there was a powerful dirt aroma. I’m letting it air out for a few weeks before I try it.