2013 Spring Hekai Gu Shu Mao Cha

Bitter, sweet and full of energy - Hekai

Dry leaves are huge. Some leaves are up to 5cm long. Time to time you can find yellow leave. The smell of dry leaves is fruity-sweet. Rinsed leaves smell very intensely fruity and sweet after honey. Much like maocha from Mengsongu.

The first infusion 20s . Lighter infusion, very delicate astringency on the tongue and the sweetness in the aftertaste. Delicate floral taste.

The second infusion again 20s – infusion has a sparkling yellow color and the taste is still soft. There is a pronounced astringency and bitterness at the back of the tongue. In the aftertaste there is a mix of sweetness with the bitterness of wild tea trees – “Gu Shu”. Sweetness is coming back into the mouth from throat – “Hui Gan”. The bitterness remains in the mouth for a long time and is very intense with woody tones.

The third infusion - a distinctive taste, astringency is very intensive and it blends into bitterness – “Ku Se“. The energy - “Cha Qi” - is coming directly in the head. You can still feel it even after 7th and 8th cup. Tea has a great energy. Bitterness is less pronounced in further infusions but still preset in the mouth.

Comparing this Hekai maocha to MengSongu, Hekai has more pronounced bitterness, it is not so honey-sweet and fragrant. For subsequent infusions there are mushroom tones present in the aftertaste on the tongue.
Simply great stuff with great potential for aging.

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