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Soup is clear, with a dark red, maybe cinnamon, hue. The gaiwan leaves (brewed) are not super aromatic. There is a bit of maltiness, and a hint of stone fruits, but not much else. Initial taste of the tea is a bit underwhelming. First taste is malt. A bit tannic, but not unpleasant or overwhelming. Which is a surprise. I’m brewing this tea longer than I typically do for hong cha. That heavy malty flavor is joined by a strong minerality on the finish. Beneath that, there is a melon sweetness. Like a very sweet honeydew, or cantaloupe, or something similar. Texture wise, the tea also mimics the watery-juiciness typically found in melons.

Pretty much zero chaqi.