2004 YQH Dingjipin
August 20, 2016 5.3g/80ml gaiwan [8.4]
Tight compression on the cake, tighter than Tejipin or Zhencang Chawang, and I notice that the leaves seem to be a bit greener at the end of the session.
Dry leaf is very typical YQH, nothing unusual there. The wash is light peach colour, medium thickness already, slightly juicy, i.e. some acidity and some sweetness. The wet leaf is also typical, woody, mushroom, spices. No basement or storage notes.
- Right from the first steep, the liquor is very thick with saponin, lots of bubbles. Arrival has a juiciness to it, can feel the thick oily liquor going deep down the throat, leaving lots of rear throat taste. Some umami and a very small hint of sweetness. A gasoline oily strength, penetrating in the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Tingling in the spine and neck and heat in the chest. Wet leaf has mint+camphor.
- Slight integrated smoke, strong dark throat tastes, very high thickness. Body heaviness, umami arrival and continuing. Mouthwatering aftertaste, and some floral aromas. Empty cha hai has brown sugar, caramel.
- Strong spicy oily flavour back of throat. Face sweats, more heat.
- Significantly darker than Chawangshu or Lingya profile, very low sweetness, more like Qizhong and Tejipin in the flavour and aroma aspect. Wistaria Zipin also shares some of the darker flavour profile of this tea.
- Some diminished aftertaste and aroma, but more powerful gasoline penetration.
- Thick, neutral arrival, salivation and an oily back of throat finish going deep down. Now the real impact begins. Waves of feeling/frisson move up the body into the head, amplified when breathing in. Similar to the euphoria feeling but it is not causing a smile or joy but rather a kind of overwhelming emotional feeling, like listening to a Beethoven symphony in a minor key near the finale. Goosebumps all along arms and legs, frisson all over body, intense feeling in skin all around.
- Continued body effect, no sweetness. Herbal, with some medium tannins felt on the teeth.
- Still high saponin. Very thick still. Tingling back neck and cheeks. There is a tendency to move the head back and up, proper alignment of the spine and breathing in more deeply, the waves continue.
- Super strength on the tongue, oily penetration, full body “vibrating” effect on skin.
- Continued effect
- Goosebumps continue, stronger than before.
- More flow up to the head. Taste is no longer of interest, nothing special in the taste or the aroma. Some chocolate notes similar to what you get on thermos brews of YQH in general.
- Continued body action.
The main aspects that stand out in this session are a very thick body and significant throatiness, with the most remarkable aspect by far being the body action which showed up after 5 steeps with an overwhelming stimulating sensation coming in waves of frisson, goosebumps etc. The sensation is very similar to the feeling of intense inspiration at the end of a symphony, or after a great achievement.
