This tea was multifaceted and intriguing. I also found it resembled aged sheng Pu-erh in certain ways.

Interesting wiry leaf, some pieces broken but most not. The smell of the dry leaf is mild but very pleasant and, in spite of its faintness, quite complex, resembling high-quality Chinese green teas a bit, but also hinting at baked goods.

Aroma and character of the brewed cup is a lot like Pu-erh. It actually tastes a lot like aged sheng Pu-erh, which is quite remarkable. There are similar herbaceous and vegetal notes, and like a fairly aged tea, the edge is taken off and the flavor is very smooth. If you served this to me and told me it was aged Sheng, outside of the light color of the leaf and cup, I might even believe you.

Contrasting with most green teas I've tried from outside China, I found this tea very easy to brew. I noticed little difference in the flavor and aroma when brewed with boiling water vs. 180F water as Upton recommends. With hotter water, the cup was perhaps a bit more full-bodied, and perhaps a bit of aromatic complexity was lost. The steeping time also.

Where this tea really differs from aged sheng Pu-erh, however, is in resteeping. It resteeps quite well for a green tea, but getting more than 3 infusions from it is unlikely.

I think the price is quite good! I highly recommend this, especially if you enjoy aged sheng Pu-erh.

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