2004 Zhongcha “Lotus Aroma”

*Just a note that these tasting notes are from 2021/2022….This one was naturally Malaysian stored for 10 years before being put in drier cooler Shanghai storage since 2014.  Apparently, this will be a fragrant one… This 2004 Zhongcha “Lotus Aroma” 357g cakes goes for $198.00 or $0.55/g at Tea Urchin.

Dry leaves smell of very sweet, very floral aroma without much aged smell at all.

First infusion has a really sweet bread and cherry plum odour from the wet leaves.  There is a fruit cake and powdery chalky floral like taste upfront with some fallen leaf aspect but quite sweet throughout and with a long creamy sweet finish.  The mouthfeeling is oily and fluffy and full.  Nice thick sweet but aged feeling.  Sweet and salivating throughout. This has a nice uplifting and cheery feeling.

Second has a creamy powdery talc onset with a creamy brassy mid taste that leads into a cool aftertaste some saliva returning.  There is a creamy bread and talc plum finish. There are hints at old books and leaf but it is primarily sweet throughout. There is a touch of bitter astringency here.  Not very woody tasting but more pastry sweetness with creamy, plum, and talc.  Nice relaxing feel good qi.  Nice focusing mind.  Tastes vaguely like a tippy 7532 crossed with something like 2001 TeasWeLike HuangYin.

Third infusion has an oat, floral, bready sweet, not as talc onset that reaches into a brassy mid-taste.  There is this pop of plum taste that fades into a creamier long aftertaste.  The mouthfeeling is thick nice chalky full feeling in the mouth.  Noticeable talc, granny powder taste in here… always a good sign. Nice full sweet aged profile.  Lots of sweet complexity.

The fourth infusion has a plum tart creamy talc onset.  There is a thicker chalky building mouthfeeling here.  A bit of woody taste comes in and less creamy salivating sweetness.  There is a slight cooling with some very mild astringent bitterness.  Nice feeling good Qi.  

5^th has a plum taste with talc powdery taste.  Nice chalky full and becoming a bit more gripping mouthfeeling.  The aftertaste after a bit of mouth cooling is chalky powdery sweetness with a plum taste.  Nice feeling good Qi, nice focusing energy.

6^th has a nice mellow woody almost plum taste that is a bit watery now and loosing is thick sweetness.  The mouthfeeling is more thin sandy than chalky full. There is some talc powdery sweetness in the aftertaste.  Nice vibes.

7^th has a juicy fallen leaf not as sweet taste.  There is a woody bland talc finish to it over a thin sandy mouthfeeling.  Nice relaxing.

8^th has a woody leafy taste.  Most of the complexity is all but gone with this tippy blend that is what you would expect… but I want more… you can feel some body feeling racing the Heart a bit…

Next day I attempt mug steepings… 

Overall, this is a really interesting cake and the two storages have done this cake well.  It is super fragrant and delicious with a Qi that makes you feel good. Nice and enjoyable for me.

Peace