2007 Chenyuan Hao Lao Ban Zhang
5g/85ml Hongni Yixing, Toronto filtered tap. 2020 Tabla solo by Pt. Swapan Ji.
Strong compression and on the drier side. Lots of buds.
Slight smoke on the empty cup after the wash. Tippy aggressive mid-aged aromas on the wet leaves.
Woody arrival, oily, tippy aggressiveness but quite smoothed out. Alerting and eye focusing, with frisson beginning very quickly.
The profile is a mild woody-oily-savoury-herbal arrival, followed by a growing and long-lasting tart-juicy-coating aftertaste and strong altering effects.
Second steep also very quick, 5-10s, but with a huge tart-juicy aftertaste and major waves of alerting frisson. Dark-savoury profile
Strong and aggressive in alerting and focusing energy, somewhat uncomfortable. Long lasting after-taste and effect in the throat, kind of herbal, pine, resin, not particularly sweet.
At about 10 steeps, the liquor is still quite thick, very little taste, but a growing aftertaste, with a mild astringency and bitterness and a round juicy mouthfeel. Some green notes are showing up, maybe pine or herbs like rosemary. Here’s a pretentious tasting note: bee propolis.
Strong compression, tippy, powerful gushu profile. There is plenty of bittersweetness but it doesn’t show a clear bitter note — not enough to label the profile bitter. It has lots of juicy acidity and savoury round aspects, but isn’t sweet either. After the first few steeps which have a bit of extra oomph, the mid and late steeps are very consistent with great longevity, and long steeps are rewarded in the late steeps. Even after 15 steeps, I got quite thick luxurious steeps with little taste but big mouthfeel and aftertaste. Interesting and intense experience, though I easily prefer other teas from CYH from 03-05.
