TeaChat

Drax wrote:Agreed, the leaves of this tea are extremely pungent!

This tea has an deep power to it still, very strong, but it also has the qualities of age seeping in. I am surprised at the power the tea still packs, though... whew! It reminds me of a younger xia guan, in a way, but not with the smokiness. Very nice!

Here's the first steep, at 10 seconds (after a 30 second wash and 2 minute rest; I used two clumps, which were still pretty solid after the wash, so I went longer for my first steep... second steep was 5 seconds and even more powerful than the first).



Great tea! I'm looking forward to how it changes as the teeth-kicking portion starts to subside...

>30 seconds wash and rest 2 minutes rest

I only do a quick wash x2, then straight away 1st brew at 30s

will try your method next time...

auhckw wrote:I only do a quick wash x2, then straight away 1st brew at 30s

will try your method next time...

I vary the length of the initial wash depending on how tightly compressed the tea is -- if I'm dealing with loose bits, I definitely shorten it.

In any case, I was doing 6g in a 4oz gaiwan (30s rinse, 2 minute rest; then 10s, 5s, 5s, 10s... and right now I'm on the 5th infusion at 10s ), which is a bit stronger (and why I use the shorter times).

I started with 2.3 grams of very powerful smelling tea in a small gaiwan (about 75 mL), water 205 degrees.

A bit dusty/musty, going to flash rinse before drinking an infusion

Waited a minute, then first infusion pour in/pour out--less than 10 second steep

Let it cool a bit--grabbed the wrong cup for this--it is mild, sweet, bit of smokiness and earthy with the camphor. As the infusion sits between sips, the smokiness, earthiness and camphor all intensify, and the sweetness drops into the background.

2nd infusion--also pour in/pour out--sweet, smoky, earthy, camphor, but the first note is the sweet. Long camphorous aftertaste.

3rd infusion--pour in/pour out--the sweet is still there, and the smoky/earthy/camphor is starting to overtake the sweet even at the beginning of the sip.

Brought it home with me in the gaiwan, then left overnight, starting again in the morning, and it is again earthy, camphorous, smoky, powerful stuff….and this is another flash infusion.

Longer infusion is strong, earthy, camphorous, a little sweet….and if this is after a dozen years of aging, what must it have been like when it was young? 5th infusion was longer, about a minute, because I forgot it, but even though stronger than I really enjoy, it still was not bitter or actually unpleasant.

Quite an amazing tea.

Another half dozen short infusions character changing only gradually.

Infusion 12 still is potent, but the sweet is coming more strongly now, again. Those early infusion were rather rough, but this is really getting very nice. At this rate, this is going to be a 20-30 infusion tea, methinks…but will need to heat up another kettle's worth of tea.

Mmmm.

2.3 grams may be a whole day's worth of tea at this rate.

auhckw wrote:I only do a quick wash x2, then straight away 1st brew at 30s

It was so powerful with those flash infusions, and then the 1 minute 5th....can hardly imagine how strong a 30s first infusion would be. Eeep!

If you can brew (3 days, 23 steeps) with klp1, i think you could easily drink this for 1 week using the same method you are doing. You are making this very worth the money... hahahah... i would have never brew the way you did

Started this one Friday evening, just four infusions; continued Saturday, probably 20 infusions; and today, another 4 or 5 before I stopped. That was a couple of liters of tea from 2.3 grams of leaf!

The later infusions were well towards sweet water, but still had distinct flavor. Mmmm.

And the leaves were quite impressive--most were quite broken up, but look at the size of the one on the left--penny added for scale. Big leaf with a very big flavor.

auhckw wrote:I had this today also. 5g:150ml (may be too little for some).

I prefer it lighter so I enjoyed the later infusions than the front.

Colour of tea at 8th infusion

How long are your steeping times?

I hope mine arrives soon!

TokyoB wrote: How long are your steeping times?

I hope mine arrives soon!

For the first 10 brew... all within a minute
Then 11 brew onward add about 10 secs per steep.

I rarely drink beyond 12th brew at home.. normally I will stop at 8th

Naked version is no longer available. I think time to lock this thread.

But if anyone interested to get the full piece, it is still available but availability and price I need to check with the shop first. Pm-me.

For those that got the Naked version... enjoy while it still last... hehe