I thought this tea was exquisite, probably my favorite Bao Zhong ever sampled, and among my favorite greener oolongs.

The dry leaf is quite fragrant, with a pleasant floral and vegetal aroma, and a hint of roast.

Upon brewing, the tea takes on a greener character than suggested by the smell of the dry leaf, and there's no discernable roast, it's a lot like a green tea with the edge taken off. Brews a pale greenish-yellow liquor, with a pleasant floral fragrance. Rishi describes it as lilac and lily, and I see this. There are also strong vegetal notes, reminding me a lot of the smell when cutting the thick leaves and stems of tropical rainforest plants. The smell of this tea reminds me of the inside of a greenhouse, and makes me think of humid summer days, or the tropics.

The flavor is mellow but has a bit of boldness, and the mouthfeel is smooth, almost buttery, but with just enough astringency to make it seem full-bodied. I drank this tea twice in cold weather, and I found it pleasantly warming, but I can see it being just as enjoyable in hot weather.

I find this tea is pretty forgiving about brewing; it doesn't seem to change much as a function of steeping time. Rishi's recommendations are pretty spot-on too. I would recommend going on the stronger side, though, not using less leaf or a shorter steep than Rishi recommends.

Works excellently for multiple infusions, although I find that the later cups were never quite as satisfying as the first.

Good price. This is an expensive tea, but I think it's a fine example of a bao zhong / pouchong, and worth every penny.

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