Jingmai LOVE is an ok sheng, but doesn’t seem to stand out in any particular way. Maybe the most memorable is its qi, but not necessarily in a good way either.
The dry leaves have a weak floral smell mixed with some sawdust. On the other hand, the wet leaf aroma is fairly strong. It is fresh and reminiscent of barn cooked meat and a dry meadow.
The rinse has a soft and coating mouthfeel and quite a dynamic taste. It is herbal with vegetal sourness and savoury notes. I also notice some tangerine peel and in the aftertaste phyllo pastry and some sweetness emerging.
First few steeps retain a nice coating mouthfeel, but later on, the texture becomes quite uninteresting. The taste is initially very similar to unripe apricots with some umami and dry grass notes. Over time more floral sweetness is present and around infusion 6, moderate bitterness appears too. After a metallic finish, I get a biting and numbing aftertaste that’s quite nondescript in terms of flavours. The only new one I picked up on is black pepper. There are a lot of returning flavour over time, but the aftertaste is not one that would keep my attention.
The cha qi is somewhat frontloaded. After few steeps I feel warm and sleepy, with a light dizziness. Later on, the only effect is the caffeine rush, which is quite strong from this tea.
Flavors: Biting, Bitter, Black Pepper, Citrus Zest, Dry Grass, Floral, Metallic, Pastries, Pleasantly Sour, Sweet, Umami
