2016 Ban tian yao 半天腰

I open the bag, breath in the smells, and know immediately that I’m going to like this one! Dark whole leaves and aroma of raisins, tobacco, and a hint of smoke. Brews a little darker than the Rou Gui or Bairuixiang, medium orange.

The taste, like the aroma, has a nice raisin/date note as well as flavors of spiced rum, oatmeal, and dark wood. Just a touch of smoke, this tea also reminds me of nice cigars. The flavor lingers in the mouth and is super deep and complex. Really makes my mouth water. As I keep brewing, the flavor becomes lighter and a mild floral note appears. This tea fades faster than the Rou Gui, but gives a decent number of brews and the flavor hits really hard. I definitely need more of this tea!

Ban tian yao 2016 from Wuyi origin. very pleasant relaxing and balanced tea. It has a little smoky taste, frutal, mineral and with a pronounced sugarcane finish. This tea is very subtle, almost like a Baijiguan, but more roasted and more robust in the beginning.
Wet leaves with typical wuyi aroma with chocolat and woody notes. Medium roast.
I steep this tea with 7 gr. at 87° C. First steep 20 sec., adding 5 sec. each subsecuent steeps until 8th. steep. From 9th. to 12th. 15 sec. each and fron 13th. to 15th. 30 sec.
First infusion shows a subtle smoky flavor with typical mineral flavor and a little frutal aftertaste. This continues fron 2th. to 8th. infusion. Then soup becomes with a very nice sweet and frutal flavor that linger in mouth a lot. Total fifteen steeps.
Tea is very nce and balanced, so subtle. It remains me Baijiguan cultivar, but more complex and a little more strong flavor. It´s a relaxing tea very good to share with your friends