Dry leaf aroma is strong but at the same time also muted with a range including floral sweet pea, lily and lilac, baked goods, lemon curd, creamy peas, artichoke. The sip is upfront very floral with mostly lily. This leads into a sharp mouthfeel with tang. I taste crisp lettuce, high-pitched citrus, dry grass, a dark lemon curd, earth and wood. The aftertaste explodes with apricot-peach which gives way to a green sugarcane returning sweetness.
The astringency and bitterness come out after several steeps, leaving my tongue rough and numb. As each steep becomes more astringent, it also grows metallic. If you don’t mind astringency, this tea does have good longevity. Overall, this tea has a good range of flavors and mouthfeels but it was tough for me to appreciate after 4 or so short infusions. This one is flavorwise steps above the very tame Tie Guan Yin that can be had at Chinese restaurants. I’m guessing it’s merely past its prime.
Thank you for the sample, Leafhopper :) It’s been a few years since I’ve had a green Tie Guan Yin. It’s always nice to go back to one of the first loose-leaf style teas I bought – I think it was once of those large canisters offered by Tao of Tea.
Flavors: Apricot, Artichoke, Astringent, Bitter, Bread, Citrusy, Cream, Dry Grass, Drying, Earth, Floral, Flowers, Garden Peas, Lemon, Lettuce, Metallic, Peach, Sugarcane, Tangy, Wood
Hmm. I haven’t tried the TGY yet, but it’s from spring 2020. Too bad it seems to be astringent in later steeps.
Maybe I needed to brew it differently.
Years since a green Tie Guan Yin! whoa.