Fujian Zhangping Shui Xian Cake Black

Heavenly. I was lucky enough to get a sample mini cake of this and wow, what a beautiful way to start the morning. I’m having mine western style, and it’s mild, yet full flavored and deliciously complex and wonderfully friendly. I get a lovely warm hug feeling drinking this. Sadly, I think it’s not available to buy now, but if it ever is, I’m right there. Thank you, What-Cha, for a beautiful thing.

I’m enjoying this slowly. Rough, incoherent day amidst twenty degree weather. Hyperglycemia clouded my head to the point of me running into my bosses office’s wall and turning of the lights for 5 seconds.

Now, onto something positive, I cannot thank Alistair enough for this opportunity. Opening up the cake, it was a thin one made out of wire tendrils of black leaves tipped with an amber hue giving off some scents of bakers chocolate. I dropped the subtle, yet aromatic cake into the vessel. The seal of the cake opened just a little bit, revealing the delicate and precise holds of each leaf.

Steep one was nice after about 15-20 seconds. Cocoa in the aroma, and something not too far off from gotu kola in terms of nuttiness, albeit faint nutiness. Tasting it, more cocoa, rose hints, and an oily but sweet finish.

Second steep at 30 seconds was much the same, more rose and a little bit of honey accompanying some mild savoriness, like the butter in chocolate chip cookies. It got a little sweeter as it cooled.

Third had more intense cocoa in smell, and a bit of something tannic peaking through the background like you would in coffee or darker wine. Initial sip after about 50 seconds lead to more of a honey taste, or mildly fruity and salty. Think chocolate covered raisins, though not nearly as think or pronounced. Nice drying finish despite the tea not being astringent or bitter. Smooth, and almost silky, but not quite there yet.

Fourth steep after definitely over a minute (probably a min and 45 sec), more honey sweetness. More cocoa. Malty aftertaste. I keep thinking cherry, but it’s not that strong.

I might write more about this one, but know that I enjoy it and recommend it for lighter black lovers. It’s a comfort tea for sure.

Took a gamble and bought 6 of these cakes and I’m very impressed with the results,
First 1-3 infusions had a very smooth honey and rose taste, and the infusions after that got a definite sweet chocolatey taste as described.

After finished drinking it left a very mellow aftertaste without any dryness left on the tongue. Definitely a favourite black tea of the tea drinkers in my family and it being in a sealed cake is a nice convenience.

This tea is rare enough that I was able to search for it by ‘black cake what cha’ without remembering the whole name. As nice as that was, it makes getting more of this tea difficult.

I didn’t store the other half of my cake properly, so I wasn’t sure if it would taste okay. Thankfully, taste was not impacted by my lack of storage.

1/2 cake, 100ml gaiwan, 195F
15s, 20, 25, 30, 40, 55, 1min, 1, 2
Thick, chocolate, dark chocolate. Flavor lasted a long, long time.

Keeping this on my wishlist. Hope it comes back someday.