I decided to use my Mrs Lin's Blue Cherry Blossom Sushi Set to display the leaves
http://www.mrslinskitchen.com/index.asp ... odID=16772
an unopened packet of Rich Barbarian Supreme+
the opened packet contents in the Sushi sauce dish on top of the Sushi platter
and spread out on the platter
half the contents weighed at 5gm
and a 150ml Yixing selected
The pot and accessories were warmed with water from my standard kettle and a 2 second wash was done
Water from my Kamjove at 190 -
and a 25 second 1st [real] infusion
Break for into - - - - - - - - -
My sampling of the current Tie Kuan Yin immediately brought back my forgotten memories of last weeks 2 Tie Kuan Yins
The first was YunnanColorfuls
http://cgi.ebay.com/Anxi-Tieguanyin-Tea ... 634.c0.m14
A 50gm tin canister of little silver foil vacuum packs which should have been 10gm each but weighed out at just over 9gm - and brewed in a small Gaiwan first then a small pot - with water first at boiling then about 195 - both brews very similar
This was light and pleasant but undemanding and not 'serious'
Fairly one dimensional a slightly greenish flavour but more than anything reminded me of bubblegum and very buttery popcorn - successive infusions did not suggest to me that this would be anything more than an occasional break from my favourite oolongs
The 2nd was Teances Anxi Tie Kuan Yin No 1
http://www.teance.com/Anxi_Tikuanyin_1_ ... tea300.htm
Again brewed in both Gaiwan (3.8gm) and Yixing (6.5gm) with water just under the boil and just over 190 respectively. I favoured the Yixing brew / temperature.
The flavour and taste sensations were similar to the Yunnan Colourful - this time my impression of Bubblegum was not there but something similar to Buttery Popcorn though not - I eventually decided it was Toasted Corn Kernel [the sort that are often served salted as snacks/nibbles but without the salt.
This flavour pervaded all infusions and again I found everything almost one dimensional. I preferred it to YC but not an obvious repurchase - I have to confess that this has been in my possession for 7 months and maybe should have been consumed sooner and / or kept in a refrigerator.
Both these teas - as the infusions progressed got thinner and weaker whilst staying readily drinkable
- - - - - Back to tonight
I knew I preferred the RB when the 1 or 2 second wash which I could not resist tasting - tasted good - weak yes, but had character and body and Enjoyable - mm weird thin but talking to me
the first infusion was 25 seconds and my first taste
Initially 2 waves of flavour
A savoury green edge a bit like the Japanese Seaweed you can find round Rice Crackers – but greener and more sea-ish
Was trying to find a way of describing the second wave like the corn of the first 2 But the very pleasant sweetness kept attracting my attention finally it seemed to suggest something more like a gently roasted sugar cane
after the first infusion
The 2nd Infusion
Oops - I forgot to use a strainer
2nd 35 seconds infusion similar to first but seaweed flavour less and not quite so sweet – seemed more like a meld of several smaller flavours rather than 2 big waves – more mineral perhaps
Body not full but good a sort of silky velvety texture
after the 2nd Infusion
some red edges evident
3rd Infusion
Forgot the strainer again - How many people always use a strainer ?
3rd 45 seconds Infusion
Continuing the progression of the first 2 a pleasant balance
Some pleasant restrained vegetal flavours with the tiny mineral presence - seavegetable and sugarcane fairly faint
after the 3rd
leaves would be almost fully open now if the pot had been bigger
4th 70 seconds and
5th 90 seconds
Again that silky velvety texture but now lacking the finesse of the first 2 infusions very little Seaweed almost no sugar cane but lots of balanced minerally flavours that make it still enjoyable. Slurping the brew noisily across the roof of the mouth the initial flavours are still there.
6th Infusion 3 minutes
More colour - excellent drinking though now almost a different drink it still has that underlying Silky Velvety texture that makes weak flavours delicate now makes stronger flavours delicate also.
Half the leaves used (of 1 10gm packet [you get 8 10gm packets]) and half left for tomorrow.
I like it, and will have no hesitation re-ordering.
ONI - take heed - I am a novice, and new to TKY I have made good progress with Wuyi and DanCong but this is my first foray into TKY - BUT I like it!
Also, I may have let my Teance go stale but IMHO this is far superior to Teance and Yunnan Colorful.
If you like the person, you may try it out. But don't think too much of it if you don't know the person at all. There are 1.4 billion people in China, and by proportion, lots of tea salesmen. You could bump into a few every day 
