The fragrance of the rinsed leaves is very generic: hay, warm wood and sun-bathed stone, mushroom broth.
Once the stream of the hot brew first hits the walls of my teacup, it becomes quickly apparent that this is no ordinary tea, howevery. A complex and strong fragrance with notes of vanilla, oak, chocolate, beans, and dark fruit immediately puts me in a reflective mood.
The taste is very clear and lively with a a pleasant amount of bitterness. It does not get too powerful or dry the mouth, but provides a nice frame for all that flavour. A side from this slight bitterness, the mouthfeel is very soft/powdery and clear.
As I sip the tea, new aspects of the flavor and fragrance seem to appear all the time. It is pointless to waste any words on this tea. It is delicious, has a clear, well-defined and lingering character. Just amazing tea, and surely still has miles to go!
For a iron cake of this age and Kunming storage, I feel the cake is surprisingly aged. It does not have any earthy aromas and has not yet entered the third stage of its maturity, but all in all this 2001 Xiaguan 8653 Iron Cake is a very high quality semiaged sheng.
Link to the Yunnan Sourcing product page
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