Wai Shan Xiao Zhong looks very recognisable: the blue-black twisted leaves are uniform in shape and size. They smell of honey, gingerbread spices and smoke. When warmed by breath, the aroma reveals notes of decaying leaves, raspberry bushes and dried apples.
The purple-brown infusion smells of dry raspberry bushes, burnt sweet rolls, and something woody. The taste is of raspberries, yeast pastries, stewed apples, buckwheat honey, bitter smoke, and ‘fire.’ The taste is rough, restrained, but full-bodied and distinctly sweet. The aftertaste is sweetish and woody.
The tea's effect is moderately pronounced. The tea warms you up well and gives you energy and tone. It is good in the morning, especially in cold or damp weather. It goes well with something unsweetened to eat, such as vanilla crackers. A good basic everyday tea with a familiar taste profile from childhood. It will appeal to lovers of budget red teas and will be an excellent option for a first step into the world of Chinese tea: it will not surprise, but it will not disappoint either.
Brewing
Temperature – 90-95 degrees. The tea will turn out well either way:
- by pouring in a clay teapot (6-7 grams of leaves per 100 ml)
- steeping (2 grams per 250 ml, 3-4 minutes; you can use twice as many leaves and still not get bitterness, only a particularly rich taste and a double boost of energy and good mood)
- in a thermos (4-5 grams per litre).