Yunnan Sourcing Mystery Sample 'Delta' (Later Found To Be: 2009 Wu Liang Lan Xiang)

These darkish brown dry leaves reveal a musty, pungent bittersweet depth. They flake into ones pot and succumb to the hot water that follows.
The tea which tumbles from the spout is a vibrant-electric yellow. This yellow embraces ones lips, ones soul. This tea first flashes an interesting, unrecognizable deep taste which is sensed after a strange micro-delay. Then comes sweet, creamy depth with a very unique salty vegital finish. A nice full mouthfeel is immediately apparent. The chaqi is very upward moving, lifting, alerting. One can feel it almost immediately.

More of this tea is pushed out of the pot. It develops an initial spice in the mouth which turns sweet before the sharp edge of astringency chokes what is left away. The mouthfeel becomes stronger and resonates even in the throat. The qi develops a downward push to couple the upward pull.

When more water is added the bitter-dry astringency becomes even more prevalent. The sweetness almost becomes 'a blast of sweetness' before the muscle of bitter astringency represses it. The true depth of this tea is hidden beneath. The qi can't be hidden like this, it moves quickly through ones body- making ones senses sharper, ones mind more free.

Throughout infusions the initial 'blast of sweetness' carries with it some flavour. Banana, then ginger, and later into the session, a woodiness. With the woodiness comes a bit of grainy cereal. These tones are merely a quick flash in the mouth before the onset of bitter dryness. Far into the session the dryness becomes interestingly tangy. Truly, there is an overall lack of full taste with this tea.

The chaqi of this tea peaks in the middle of the session pushing one into a bit of a tea euphoria. Later as things wind down, the qi becomes turbid making ones head feel stuffy and on the brink of a headache. This is how one feels while drinking this tea as its flavour diminishes into fruity, flat, cereal tones.

Note: Please follow this link to the tea tasting discussion on the Half-Dipper.

Peace