Multiple Infusions

I suppose that Super Butterfly Wuyi makes an odd yancha to begin Wuyi week with, especially since I have no idea what varietal it is. If I were to venture a guess, I might go with Huang Guan Yin, since it’s tightly rolled, seems to do better with less leaf than a typical yancha, and behaves somewhat like a medium-roast TGY. Perhaps the good folks at David’s Tea could chime in, or if MarshalN is reading, he probably knew what it was before the image finished loading (yes, MarshalN is the Chuck Norris of tea).

In any event, while I can’t tell you what it is, I can tell you how it tastes, although you can’t taste it for yourself until it’s restocked, if it ever is.

Using too much leaf (5 grams/100 mL), even with pretty short times, it’s not very good at all, at least not for more than a couple infusions. The words “metallic astringency” should be enough to convey the quality of the session. When my wrong fu is particularly bad, especially with a new tea, I like to take a step back, brew English-style, and give a second look. Fortunately, David’s Tea included directions right on the bag, and astonishingly they were right on the money.

A little less than 1 tsp per 5 oz at 194°F for three minutes delivered up a gentle yellow liquor that almost seemed too light, but a big, sweet cloud of aroma suggested otherwise. Its flavor was softer-toned than most other yancha I’ve had, like a cross between medium-roast Tie Guan Yin and Tie Luo Han, with a long note of buttery brown sugar, a floral fade-in, and a sweet, lingering finish. A second infusion was more floral, though not in any way depleted, while a third was promptly dumped down the sink.

Overall I liked this tea. Hopefully someone can tell me what it is.