Bulang standard
"I bought a sample trying to decide between this and another Bulang cake from someone else. It is evident from drinking and examining the spent leaves the tea is from very clean and healthy trees and cleanly aged, and from older trees. There is strong minerality when drinking. There is very good clarity displaying a good balance between sweetness and bitterness. I actually found the tea a little thin but nevertheless well structured and leaving a nice smooth coating in the mouth. I found the tea nicely light and lively in the mouth. There is some astringency but well balanced with the tea's other qualities. It is moderately rich and robust. I found the tea very thirst quenching. The tea has a strong, bright, masculine yang cha qi as one expects from Bulang, that pervades the whole body but especially around the head and eyes. There is a rustic, slightly rudimentary, quality to the tea that compliments, rather than detracts from, its character. I found the tea slightly warming but not too much and expect it would be nice to drink year round. The tea goes on and on still giving strong brews after many infusions. The age has made the tea not too strong on the stomach and it is comfortable to drink many cups. Objectively this is a really wonderful tea. However, for me, there is something missing but I am not sure exactly what or why. It does not have the depth and subtle complexity of some Bulang tea. Although it is long lasting it does not particularly change or evolve through the session. I do not find the 'je ne sais quoi' that some old tree Bulang has. Perhaps, there is a wide range of tree ages in the mix with only some being truly ancient. Or perhaps it is from farmed plantations or gardens, albeit old ones, rather than biodiverse wild forest. But this is all speculative. Perhaps this tea can be thought of as a 'Bulang standard' which displays the core characteristics of Bulang tea very well but without the finesse and individual peculiarities of other cakes. A Louis Armstrong or Charlie Parker, rather than a Coltrane or Anthony Braxton. Nevertheless, it is an excellent example and good foundation to explore Bulang tea for new and seasoned drinkers alike. It would probably be unrealistic to expect more for the price. I am still undecided about getting a cake and will need to drink it a few more times. Perhaps I am missing something or being unduly critical. . ."