When I was younger, I went to Wuyishan on a school trip, but I was too young to fall in love with this tea & brought home something lighter (Yin guan ying). Now that I am older, with a fiancé who loves anything smokey (he’s a firefighter), he insisted on purchasing this.
To me, it tastes like a really delicious cup of chinese tea with a throaty, smoky taste. I love the strong scent that enhances the flavour, and it has just enough astringency to round it off. I brewed the leaves 6x before it became too light. Unlike regular chinese tea, the flavour doesn’t change much. I have a stuffed up nose today though, so may have been unable to detect the subtle nuances.
Traditionally the first steep is poured away as it is meant to wash the leaves. Perhaps those who find unappealing but have more to finish up could try drinking this from second steep onwards. I believe my grandmother also brews it for only 2 mins. Am going to bring over some of this tea to my grandma for Chinese New Year.
