328 Tasting Notes
I topped off my sample of this cake on Christmas Day, and was sore about doing so. I believe in drinking my teas (which is why I’m limiting myself to no more than 3 tea purchases in 2025, aside from the monthly tea clubs, to get through some samples that are one session away from completion), so that’s what I’m working on doing! Ha-ha. I felt that 2024 was a good year of my getting back onto the Steepster train, which greatly improved my push through the sipdown pile! I was able to explore new and revisit older teas that have sat in my collection for ages. With some upcoming changes to my life in the coming months, I’ve become quite self aware of spending more time with the teas I have. I can’t bare to avoid any tea hauls, so I’ll save them for birthday, anniversary, and Christmas. :)
I must admit that are many teas I’ve enjoyed, yet there are some, such as this You Le Shan, that bring forth a rush of surprise in finding yet another really good tea. This tea isn’t layered with tasting notes that are complex, but the tea hits in the thickness of the broth and the heavy hit in the qi. I felt jollier than normal on Christmas.
I have a tendency to ignore Don’s tasting notes since I’ll likely taste them or miss them entirely during my sessions. I want to go into a session blind, figure it out, and then backtrack to the notes the tea vendor lists.
I’ll note that this is a “boozy” tea in the way that liquor (if my memory serves me well. I’ve not partake any heavy alcohol in months) gives you a bite/tang and hit of warmth. I’ve made several notations of “burnt alcohol from a cake or dense sweet bread.” I like it, but don’t love it.
I must admit my backlogs are quite backlogged due to oddball work schedules, holidays, etc. I found a moment where I didn’t want to write anything, but began making YouTube videos again; which lasted all but two videos. I ramble during tea sessions, which are likely 30 minutes or more, and cutdown to feature the sensible material which last about 2+ minutes. Lol.
Anyway, I drank this on Thursday during work. I followed the recommended time and temperature the sample bag listed (180F // 3-5 minutes), and it made for a gentle grassy tea. I noted that this was “equivalent to Japanese sencha, but less umami notes.”
I had this during work last Friday, so I made minimal notes during the session.
“Has a lightly aged, earthy, and mineral flavor. The cup isn’t producing much flavor/texture, and the tea completely faded after the 6th infusion. Not very strong and didn’t last long.”
Sipdown/Backlog
I quite liked this one. What sold this for me was the addition of spinach; I thought that it was an odd addition to a blend, but it drove me to grab some. I think the time spent sitting in the bag/sipdown pile for the past year (or longer?), helped bring the lemongrass and orange forward! I was a bit surprised to not find white chocolate in the blend, but I noted that flavor a few times on my scrap paper.
Flavors: Lemongrass, Orange, White Chocolate
Backlog
The tea took a while to open up and produce any flavor (3 infusions). Around the 4th and 5th steeps, the tea began to gain texture/flavor—very lightly—yet there was more than prior infusions. I noted that this tea might have been a better loose leaf tea, for the flavor jumps through between 6 & 7, but is completely gone after the 8th infusion. I longed steeped the 9th with near-boiling water, but the flavor was no more.
I acquired this sample months ago, but I needed a shot of caffeine shortly after getting out of bed today. I feel as if I’ve yet made the adjustment to the hour setback. Honestly, it doesn’t help that we dropped back the hour, but it begins to feel like 8pm at 5pm lately. The light completely washes away around 4:30-5pm.
Anyway, this was a good tea as much as I remember it being when I drank it. I didn’t make a note, but wanted to log it regardless.
