
Baohongyinji 2012 Nannuo Butterfly
Thanks to Stefano for the opportunity to taste this tea. 4.9g/85ml Yixing. The dry leaf is twiggy and slightly foresty but no geosmin.
The tea immediately reminds me of white tea and autumn style production. Mild, but good sweet aroma, and plenty of tannins, nutty. Heat begins in the chest.
- More white tea character, sweet, thick, moreish. Autumn. I am reminded of the 2014 Autumn Mahei from Biyun Hao which I like very much. Leaves a residual astringency / chalk texture on mouth, but not in a bad way, I like it.
- Spices, mild honey, vanilla, woody, walnuts. Mild gentle sweetness, strong warming, and sleepy, very sleepy.
- Longer steep gives more tanginess, and more tannins. Spices on the back tongue, active aftertaste, nice acidity.
- Good emergent aroma after swallowing. Rough in tannins, but not bitter. No greenness, no hongcha taste. Good aftertaste sweetness combined with roughness. Definitely reminds me of other young Bulang teas such as a 2016 Bulang Autumn from Jalam teas, but much less bitter than these.
- Later steeps are thick, with strong tannins coating the mouth, but not very bitter.
I enjoyed the different profile on this tea, mild sweetness, thick texture, and high astringency with low bitterness. The energy is ideal for a nap or meditation, I think, it encourages your eyes to close, but doesn’t make you go to sleep.